I'm an Irvington Realtor. Here's why I support the Blue Line.

Deb Kent
·2 min read

Though I originally signed a letter in favor, this note expresses my opposition to Senate Bill 52.

When I first agreed to add my name to a list of businesses supporting S.B. 52, I simply hadn't taken the time to fully educate myself on the Blue Line. Now that I have, these are the main reasons I believe a rapid transit line is a good (albeit not perfect) solution for our community.1. It should slow down vehicles. Speeding cars are an acute problem along Washington Street. Pedestrians and drivers have been killed. Accidents happen routinely. A small child in our Irvington community was killed on Washington. Even one death is one too many.

First grader Hannah Crutchfield is remembered on the marquis Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at George Julian School 57. Hannah was hit by a car and killed while walking home from school with her mother in 2021. Her mother and a crossing guard were also injured in the accident.
First grader Hannah Crutchfield is remembered on the marquis Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at George Julian School 57. Hannah was hit by a car and killed while walking home from school with her mother in 2021. Her mother and a crossing guard were also injured in the accident.

2. It will enable many people to get where they need to go quickly and easily. I am fortunate enough to own a car and can drive anywhere, but so many in our city depend on unreliable buses. I'll often see someone waiting for a bus in miserable weather when I'm driving somewhere and then, 45 minutes later on the way back, I see that same person still standing there in the same miserable weather. I am originally from NYC and was grateful for the Express Bus that took me from my neighborhood to my work downtown. A bus that comes every few minutes means people who rely on mass transit for their livelihoods can get to work on time.

When I originally signed the letter opposing the bus line, it was out of concern for local businesses. Busy with other things, I thought the discussion and ultimate decision was best left to those who were a lot more knowledgeable and involved than I.  As an Irvingtonian and local business owner myself, obviously I want folks to invest and prosper in my community. But I also hadn't taken the time to learn about the proposal and all its implications, consequences, and benefits.

  • Do I want small businesses to be hurt? Absolutely not.

  • Do I want something that will finally slow traffic so no one gets killed or hurt on Washington St? Of course.

  • Do I want our area to have a mass transit system that gets people where they need to go on time? Absolutely.

  • Do I regret signing a letter before I took the time to understand the issues at stake? Yes.

I'm still no expert but based on everything I finally understand, I oppose S.B. 52 and support a good mass transit system.

Deb Kent is an Irvington Realtor and co-founder of the Red Barn Arts Collective, Stage Door Theater, and The Magpie Artspace in Irvington and founder of The WonderLab Museum in Bloomington.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Deb Kent: Why I support the Blue Line