Senator Hunley outside the Appropriations Committee chamber where SB 52 was heard.

(INDIANAPOLIS) – Senator Andrea Hunley (D – Indianapolis) released this statement following the passage of Senate Bill 52 from Senate Appropriations yesterday:

“I stand with the residents of District 46 who came to the Statehouse in droves to voice opposition to to the legislation that would ban dedicated bus lanes, especially the folks from Irvington who overwhelmingly expressed their support for IndyGo and the Blue Line. We saw bipartisan opposition to this bill today for a reason: transit matters and transit builds communities.

“I know from meeting and talking with community members that the residents, business owners and voters on Indy’s east side and all over the state are excited about the investment and opportunity that transit projects like the Blue Line fuel. One developer of a long-awaited project in Irvington acknowledged the Blue Line as a reason for selecting the future build site, and with the new bus rapid transit (BRT) line, logistics companies currently under construction in the area will have access to a broader employee base. Residents across my district want better access to downtown, the airport and employment opportunities. The Blue Line would provide them with that. SB 52 would end those developments before they can begin.

“Time and again, we have seen legislators at the state level attempt to circumvent the will of communities and undo their local votes. I will be standing with the people in my district — transit users, just like me — and keep fighting alongside them for the defeat of this bill.”

Senator Hunley recently joined Representative Blake Johnson and City County Councilor Andy Nielsen in writing to their neighbors in Irvington about the importance of working together to dispel misconceptions about the Blue Line project and the feelings of residents and businesspeople about it. You can find that letter here.

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Sen. Hunley represents Senate District 46, which encompasses parts of the City of Indianapolis including the Downtown, Irvington, Fountain Square, Garfield Park, & Warren Park neighborhoods, and portions of Center, Wayne, Warren and Perry Townships.

For more information on Sen. Hunley, her legislative agenda or other State Senate business call 1-800-382-9467 or visit www.IN.gov/s46.