Another ‘Monon’? Red Line backer makes a big bet that it will work

Megan Fernandez is confident that the Red Line will be an asset for the city similar to the Monon Trail, so she decided to buy a house a block from the route.

Fernandez says the new, 13-mile bus rapid transit route from Broad Ripple through downtown to the University of Indianapolis is a big step forward. She joined Indianapolis Monthly in 1995 while a student at Indiana University and is an editor there now. After living downtown for 20 years, she recently bought a home in the Garfield Park neighborhood with her husband, Enrique. She’s seen a new pride in the city that wasn’t there before. 

“Younger people aren’t busting to get out of Indianapolis anymore,” she said. “They’re proud of their city and they wear it on their T-shirts. When your city innovates and has fresh ideas, that has to make you a little proud.”

A 'usable' city

There’s been a turnaround from previous years. Fernandez hears people say they love Indy.

 “Everyone’s always surprised - There’s a lot to do, a lot of places to go out to. It’s affordable compared to some of the bigger cities.”

Interestingly enough, you can “use” the city.

“Somebody from Boston was telling me that there, it’s a pain to get to some neighborhoods at times, and so you just didn’t bother.”

Indianapolis is much easier to get around. In recent years she’s been glad to see a more walkable city, and the electric Blue Indy car-sharing service. An enhanced IndyGo, which is promising a 70 percent increase in service as part of a new transit plan, is one more amenity that appeals to the changing tastes of millenials.

“It’s not surprising these years to hear of young people in their 20s and 30s who don’t have a driver’s license,” she said.

“That’s a huge change from my generation when you literally could not wait to get your license. And gas is so expensive. It’s not that nobody ever drives. But when I was 20 or 30 it was unheard of that somebody didn’t have their license.”

Cultural Trail effect

The Red Line’s possible effect on property values fed into her decision to buy a home near the route.

“There’s a lot of potential for this neighborhood to attract things like businesses and restaurants, all kinds of commercial activity along the Red Line route,” she said.

“I hope we see something like the Cultural Trail effect. I think the quality of life in Garfield Park will go up. I want to live around those things.”

She’s interested in seeing how the new line helps connect her neighborhood and the downtown with the University of Indianapolis, which could be a popular stop as a cultural resource.

Questions expected

Fernandez respects the view of Red Line opponents, some of whom say the neighborhood and traffic disruption from construction along College Avenue will continue after the line begins.

“I understand. This is normal and it’s to be expected in large infrastructure projects like this,” she said. “But there was a referendum, people voted and were willing to pay for it. The public had their choice and they chose it.”

Indy’s very strengths – less traffic, easier parking than major cities – can work against it in a project this size, she says. In effect, we’re spoiled, and when that’s disrupted people are naturally angry.

“I know it’s hard now. But just like the people on the Monon are happy to have that trail in their backyard and to see their property values go up, I hope the people along the Red Line are happy eventually. In the end this will be good for the city – and for them.”

- John Strauss, jcs1122@yahoo.com