Letter: Red Line Construction—The pain will be worth it

That truism comes to my mind when I look at Meridian Street outside The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Construction crews have torn up the pavement, forcing traffic to slow down. It can be a headache for motorists.

But when I think about the reason the street is in disarray—so the city can get its first bus rapid transit line—I know that the long-term benefits will outweigh the current inconveniences.

This outlook is based on three key points.

First, I am confident our employees and volunteers will appreciate having a public transit option for getting to the museum.

Second, I am confident that guests will find it easier than ever to get to us once there is a Red Line station right outside the museum. Most notably, it will help visitors who stay downtown to get to our front door.

That last point is particularly resonant for me. As one of the 25 most-visited museums in North America, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis is a peer to museums in cities where visitors expect to have easy access to them via transit. With the Red Line, Indianapolis will meet those expectations.

Further, as an institution committed to accessibility, we are excited that our programs and offerings will be accessible to more people.

We are deeply committed to our neighbors and discovering ways to provide them with more options and an improved quality of life. Like our Mid-North Area neighbor Ivy Tech, The Children’s Museum has for years invested in infrastructure supportive of public transportation. These efforts have been aided by IndyGo, which is helping to improve the sidewalks connecting the Red Line station to our entrance.

In closing, I must note that few of our members and employees have complained about the construction. Maybe that’s because we just completed our own major project—the 7.5-acre Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experience. Or, maybe it’s because they see the construction the same way I do: as short-term pain with long-term gain.

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Jeffrey Patchen
President and CEO, The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis