44 INDIANAPOLIS REGIONAL CENTER PLAN 2020 PLANNING DOWNTOWN’S FUTURE TODAY MOVING AROUND DOWNTOWN MAP M-2 LEGEND Discussion has been started regarding a multimodal transit center allowing ease of transfers among all transportation modes within the Regional Center.  Some committee members emphasized the reuse of Union Station as an ideal location for a transit center if the site can accommodate the traffic both functionally spatially. The Clarian People Mover is an elevated, automated rail system that began operation in June 2003.  The one and a half-mile, five-minute ride transports patients, families, physicians and employees between Methodist Hospital, Indiana University Medical Center and Riley Hospital.   This system is free and open to the public. In early 2003 a study was commissioned by a working group of private, non-profit government entities that examined the feasibility of relocating all rail traffic out of Downtown Indianapolis.  The elevated railroad tracks through Downtown currently accommodate significant CSX freight traffic as well as passenger trains.  These tracks represent a physical and aesthetic barrier to the south Regional Center; raise several safety and security issues; and complicate convention center expansion as well as private development. The study focused on the engineering and operational feasibility of removing the elevated tracks, but did not include detailed analysis of all aspects of a total relocation of rail traffi In addition, the MPO is conducting a regional DiRecTionS Rapid Transit Study with eight consulting firms, which is expected to complete in the summer of 2004.  This study will determine appropriate transit technologies and define transit corridors for a possible rapid transit system.  Efforts including the proposed Cultural Trail, BioCrossroads- Central Indiana Life Science Network, Indiana High Speed Rail Association, DiRecTionS Rapid Transit Study, Clarian People Mover and greenways are progressing in making Indianapolis a multimodal city. Air Quality The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established national air quality standards in order to protect public health and welfare.  Based on local EPA air sampling tests, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area will not meet the national air quality standards.  It is a priority to establish methods to limit air-polluting emissions to avoid EPA penalties and negative economic impacts on the community. Universal Accessibility According to the 2000 Census, persons with disabilities are the largest minority group in the United States.  Locally, 20 percent of persons in Indianapolis, or one-fifth of the population, have at least one type of disability.  Of the different disabilities counted in 2000, 24 percent were physical disabilities, 10 percent were sensory disabilities and 13 percent were mental disabilities.  For many individuals with disabilities and for seniors, a universally accessible pedestrian system is the difference between dependence and isolation and the enjoyment of opportunities in transportation, employment, housing, political participation, worship and recreation. In 2000, the City of Indianapolis created the Mayor’s Office of Disability Affairs (MODA) promote a broader understanding and awareness of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), universal access and inclusion.  MODA works with the Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Department of Metropolitan Development (DMD) to educate staff and contractors on the requirements of the ADA in curb and sidewalk projects and new development.  The City also partners with IndyGo to identify enhancements on bus routes and at bus stops to increase physical access.  Moreover, by obtaining feedback on projects from the disability community and the Mayor’s Advisory Council on Disability, the City of Indianapolis is able to engage in initiatives that increase the quality of life for persons of all abilities in our community. IndyGo Bus Stop on Ohio Street IndyGo Blue Line IndyGo Blue Line Stop IndyGo Bus Routes People Mover People Mover Stop Clarian People Mover Access ramp at the City-County Building