INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Most neighbors in Broad Ripple tell News 8 they are excited for what’s to come.
The $6.7 million construction project includes wider sidewalks, better lighting, and work to lessen flooding.
However, many say, getting to that point taking some patience.
The first step, which is already underway, is to relocate utilities. That will take about four months to finish. Then comes the roadwork and sidewalk improvements.
Eventually Broad Ripple Avenue, from College Avenue to Winthrop Avenue, will shut down completely to drivers. The work will take a year to complete.
Davion Carrillo, who is in Broad Ripple often, said that won’t stop him from visiting the Broad Ripple Village business district. “Part of that is having reduced parking, maybe walking a block … oh, no, I have to walk a block to go to the store — and I don’t think that’s a big deal,” Carrillo said.
Kate Snider and Oliver Endris both work in Broad Ripple. They said the construction has already had some impact on business. “We have reservations at where we work and so people will be late, saying that they weren’t expecting any of the construction,” Snider said.
“It’s a little overwhelming,” Endris added. “It’s rough. People get like, I feel like people get super irritated with it, so they’re driving a little more aggressively.”
Several neighbors and employees of Broad Ripple businesses who did not want to go on camera told News 8 safety has been a huge concern. They say since construction began they’ve seen many drivers violating traffic laws, including going the wrong way on one-way streets.