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The city of Indianapolis has launched a survey to measure public support for several ideas submitted to repurpose the existing underground power connections at former BlueIndy sites.
In June, the city issued a request for ideas about how the sites could be repurposed, emphasizing responses that were responsive to community needs, innovative, equitable and enhanced commercial activity. The ideas the city received fell into four broad categories: public charging for e-bikes and scooters, public charging for electric vehicles, shared transit services and placemaking.
BlueIndy ceased operations in Indianapolis in May after failing to reach membership goals needed to remain profitable. As part of BlueIndy’s contract with the city, the city had an option to purchase some of the BlueIndy assets, which it waived after the RFI process.
The city received 21 responses to its RFI, and only one suggested reusing the existing chargers. After performing an infrastructure analysis, the city said it found that the existing charging stations “perform at a level below what is considered viable for reuse” and that the “established connections to power offer numerous possibilities for reuse of the locations on a case-by-case basis.”
The city said it would embark on a public engagement process to gauge public interest for reusing the established power connections. The process, now called Reimagining the Curb, has begun.
The short survey is available at indy.gov/curbs. The intent of the effort is to encourage non-traditional, non-gas powered reuses.
Additionally, posters will be placed at sites by the end of the month with Text to Vote and QR code features to allow passersby to express their opinion about the best reuse option at that particular site.
Following the period of public engagement, the city expects to develop plans for each public site and issue requests for proposals for specific concepts in the first quarter of 2021.
Mayor’s Neighborhood Advocates have already begun outreach to neighborhood associations and community groups to engage residents about ideas to reuse the underground connections at sites in their areas. Property owners adjacent to former BlueIndy sites will also be engaged to ensure they are aware of opportunities to provide ideas and feedback.
“This engagement is an opportunity for neighborhoods to provide direct input on sustainable reuse that improves quality of life,” Mayor Joe Hogsett said in written comments. “I encourage all residents to participate and shape the future of these sites.”
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You would think a mayor who so easily decides how we should all live our lives everyday can’t figure out by himself what to do with a few parking places. Maybe he should ask Nancy.
Who is Nancy and care to elaborate?
This isn’t a hard decision. Make it available for electric cars. Done. This made me mad: “…the city said it found that the existing charging stations “perform at a level below what is considered viable for reuse”
What makes you made about that common sense statement?
These charging stations are old and outdated. They were meant to charge up cars for short trips. For most EV nowadays, they might give you a bit of juice but if you were really low, you probably wouldn’t go too far.
Finished the survey! I think providing a mix of creative uses for mobility and neighborhood assets is a really exciting opportunity.
More data is needed to make a decision, i.e. Voltage and amperage of chargers and cost to users. The growing numbers of electric cars for the future makes their use attractive but if they are only 120 volts it would be a waste of time. 240 or 420 volt chargers might be worthwhile. My Tesla would only 3 miles of driving time at 120 volts but 420 volts would allow up to 60 miles per hour of charging depending on how low the battery is as it charges.
LH
I agree with Laurence’s comments. This is just a joke so they can say “the public was involved……..”
Electric cars, scooters, bikes . . . . The mayor does not work in a vacuum nor does he dictate lives. Mayors and councils develop and implement policies with multiple objectives and in consideration of long-term impact. A laser focus knee-jerk reaction or response to sophomoric rhetoric is what Indy does not need.