Smarter Transportation Builds Stronger Communities

The ‘PEL’ in ProPEL Indy is a nod to this being a PEL study, which stands for Planning and Environment Linkages. A PEL study a federal process used by agencies like INDOT to make and document planning decisions that can inform future work. By following the PEL process, residents and other study stakeholders are engaged early in planning and with their input, the study team can evaluate community goals alongside transportation needs, engineering analyses, and environmental concerns to determine potential future solutions. By working together on this study, we can ProPEL our communities forward through smarter transportation infrastructure.

No decisions have been made regarding the outcome of the ProPEL Indy study. We have no lines on a map or potential projects determined. All ideas are on the table, and each will be considered equally by the study team. That’s why public feedback is vital to the success of the study. With your active participation and input, you can help the study team understand local needs, identify opportunities and concerns as well as assess potential improvement options.

As Hoosiers, we all depend on safe, reliable transportation infrastructure to get us to work, promote economic growth, and provide quality of life. Central Indiana is home to a world-class transportation system that links our businesses, neighborhoods, and attractions together. But most interstates inside the I-465 loop were built more than 40 years ago and will need to be modernized in the near future. That’s why we need to identify strategies to further strengthen and improve our transportation network.

ProPEL Indy will result in a bold vision to modernize our interstates and enhance our community for generations to come. This study will seek to understand community goals, assess local transportation needs, consider innovative ideas to improve I-65 and I-70, and result in a variety of recommendations for future improvements to modernize our interstates while prioritizing local connectivity and quality of life. Of course, these bold plans still need to be financially sound. ProPEL Indy will also evaluate construction costs and provide realistic recommendations for future project funding.

ProPEL Indy is all about actively listening to our community. Since launching in June, we have and will continue to gather your thoughts and feedback through a series of listening sessions, public meetings, online forums, and one-on-one interviews. We will also work with community leaders and organizations to ensure that we are hearing from a diverse range of voices and perspectives. ProPEL Indy will then use that feedback alongside the data analyzed by the study team to develop a plan that prioritizes community needs and equitably enhances the quality of life for all residents.

ProPEL Indy is a transportation planning study focused on sections of I-65 and I-70 within the I-465 loop. The ReThink I-65/I-70 Coalition is an independent group who have shared their bold ideas with the ProPEL Indy study team. The ideas from all stakeholders including those submitted by residents, commuters, and businesses who use the interstate system inside of I-465 will be considered throughout the study process.

 The ReThink Coalition is leading a separate federally-funded planning study of their own focused on the Southeastern segment of I-70 between Washington Street and Virginia Avenue.

ProPEL Indy’s study area does overlap with the I-65 Safety & Efficiency project on the southeast side of Indianapolis. The overlap with I-65 Safety & Efficiency extends from north of Fletcher Ave on I-65/I-70 to the South Split interchange ending south of Morris Street along I-65. ProPEL Indy is a future-focused study, which means the overlap in the study area does not impact ProPEL Indy’s ability to identify needs and develop recommendations for future improvements in the overlapping area.

Every Hoosier is welcome to participate in ProPEL Indy. We want to hear from people across the region—with a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and opinions on how to move forward. By the end of the study, ProPEL Indy will have gathered feedback from local residents, neighborhoods, businesses, schools, religious leaders, non-profit organizations, government agencies, and more.

ProPEL Indy is a 2-year transportation study. There will be numerous listening sessions, community conversations, engineering analyses, and engagement activities in 2023 and 2024. All of the findings and recommendations from the ProPEL Indy study will then be published in the second quarter of 2025.

As of February 1, ProPEL Indy has received more than 1,000 comments from several hundred stakeholders. We are carefully considering and assessing all your bold ideas.

Your feedback is critical to the success of ProPEL Indy. We will use your ideas and input alongside data analyzed by the study team to determine what investments will improve our interstates and enhance your quality of life. All of your thoughts and feedback will be considered alongside safety, mobility, equity, and sustainability needs to determine the best possible solution for our community.

Once complete, ProPEL Indy will recommend a variety of improvements that work together to modernize our interstates. This plan will create a long-term vision for the future of Indianapolis that balances bold ideas with sound engineering and responsible financial management.