Looks can be deceiving.
Since Indianapolis is such a heavily car-dominated city, it’s easy to assume bike commuters are in a tiny minority. Those cycling for leisure seem to be much more of a trend, so it’s commonly underestimated just how many must pedal to work or to run errands. Not everyone has the luxury of auto transportation, stresses LaNisha Clark, executive director of Freewheelin’ Community Bikes, the only full-service nonprofit bike shop in Marion County. “There are bike commuters who’re like, ‘I don’t own a car. This is it. I need help so I can get my medicine,’” she says. “It’s very common. It’s reflective of the community.” Many comparably sized cities have reputations as cycle-commute havens. We don’t.
Public transportation is not a state government funding priority.
Car-free modes of transit have long been a point of contention in Indiana, perhaps most notably with the ban on the construction of a light rail in 2014 and the 2024 legislative session’s Senate Bill 52, which prohibited the designated bus lanes integral to the Blue Line bus project. Although that bill was eventually dropped, the Blue Line’s reach has been diluted by the ensuing compromise.
But we’ve had local resistance too.
Expansion of biking infrastructure hasn’t gone without pushback within Marion County. Meridian-Kessler businesses successfully fought the Department of Public Works’ plan to add bike lanes in the 49th and Pennsylvania area because it would infringe on street parking. Residents in Mapleton-Fall Creek also fought against bike lanes to protect their street parking but lost.
Location matters.
Indianapolis is cruising ahead of such challenges, but to what degree depends on where you live. “I don’t think Indy is a good city to ride; I would say it’s a great city,” says Ron Lewis, general manager of Indy Cycle Specialist. He’s been bike commuting for decades, much of that time between Irvington and Broad Ripple. “Over the course of 24 years, the growth has just been tremendous.” Irvington is a commuter-friendly neighborhood thanks to its small-town vibe and proximity to downtown. To get from Irvington to downtown, there are five routes to choose from: Michigan or New York streets, Pleasant Run Trail, Pogue’s Run Trail through Brookside, or simply riding through the neighborhoods in between. For Broad Ripple residents, the Monon is a straight shot to downtown, which then connects to Fountain Square via the Cultural Trail. Heading north, you can get from Broad Ripple to Carmel in less than an hour.
We have biking deserts.
For every Irvington or Broad Ripple, there’s also a community—or two—with no infrastructure. Bike Indianapolis, a nonprofit supporting everyday cyclists, maintains a map of bike lanes and trails. Some areas are flush, but others, like Eagledale and the east side south of 38th Street, including Martindale-Brightwood, among others, are barren. “There are neighborhoods that have no resources,” Bike Indianapolis and Central Indiana Biking Association executive director Tony Cherolis points out. Without solid infrastructure and upkeep like proper signage and clean lanes, cycling is more dangerous. Even the residential streets that surround key biking corridors, like the B&O Trail in Brownsburg, the Monon Trail, and the Fall Creek Trail, don’t offer safe access to them by bike, adds Cherolis.
But improvements are afoot.
The city understands the importance of bike lanes better than most realize. In 2024, following a 12-month period which saw more than 100 cyclist or pedestrian deaths in vehicle collisions, the city created the Vision Zero plan with hopes of ending all such fatalities by 2035. These initiatives are crucial. As Lewis puts it, “The cyclist is going to lose a car-versus-bike interaction every time.” Additionally, the DPW began initiatives in 2024 to “transform roads to accommodate all road users,” including adding 21 miles of dedicated bike lanes, 84 new signals at intersections, 17 miles of trails, and 2,000 ADA-compliant sidewalk ramps. This mission, called Complete Streets, is also poised to improve situations for all commuters.
And advocacy is ongoing.
Education—both for cyclists and for commuters—is a long-term project that Freewheelin’ is tackling. Getting the word out on the importance of supporting cycling for all is key. “That education piece could trigger safer streets,” Clark says. “I look forward to the phase where we look at all these miles of new bike infrastructure trails and green spaces and can learn together how to use them.”
Indy’s reputation is changing.
The infrastructure to support bikers of all stripes is only expanding, with new lanes, sharrows (pavement markings on streets too narrow for regular bike lanes), and safety regulations. Organizations like Bike Indianapolis and the CIRTA Commuter Connect program create opportunities for people to make the jump to cycling. The Indianapolis portion of the Nickel Plate Trail’s opening was slated for June at press time. It will run from the fairgrounds near 46th Street and Fall Creek Parkway up to 96th Street and Hague Road. Cherolis has a positive outlook on the expansion of the Indy bike community: “The more people ride, the safer things will get.” Things will get safer for kids too. On National Bike to School Day, Clark was out first thing in the morning with her team to pedal to school with the kids at IPS School 60. Children can be commuters too, sometimes combining cycling with a ride on an IndyGo bus. “I love that we’re seeing Indianapolis come online,” Clark says. “I feel like we’re catching up to where we want to be.”
