Neighborhoods Reach Breaking Point Over Race Day Traffic

(posted Apr 26)

Westside residents have finally reached their breaking point with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway over their loss of quality of life on race days. IMPD Lt. Pat White faced a barrage of questioning and complaints from residents attending the April 24th Westside Neighborhood Association meeting about their inability to move or to attend church. Many complained that special resident passes were not being honored by officers on traffic posts, preventing residents from being able to leave and enter their neighborhoods.

"I know we have had problems with church services in the past," White said.

He described directing traffic as "quite a chore", moving 200,000 to 300,000 people before and after the race. After the race ends, the first 45 minutes are dedicated to pedestrian movement only.

White said that 16th Street and Georgetown Road have now become buffer zones around the event area.

Wayne Township Trustee David Baird said there has no been cooperation from police officers or the IMS. He said the westside has to suffer with this four times a year. "I've never been notified" about road restrictions. He said that Speedway wants to realign 16th Street, but he contends there are aspects in Indianapolis besides Speedway and the need to realign the road. The representative from the Speedway Redevelopment Commission did not attend the meeting as promised.

Baird said "If people wanted to protest on race day on 16th Street, I would not have problem with it. There needs to be an attention getter." He objected to the advice to leave town on race day for those irritated by the inconveniences. He wanted to know if any blockades were going to be removed during the race so people would not be "locked down."

City County Councilor Doris Minton-McNeil said for years, residents just went along with the immobility and inconvenience placed upon them on race day. Now they want cooperation from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, so their lives are not disrupted while attempting to attend church. She reiterated the lack of cooperation for those with resident passes.

"I had to leave my car and walk home when nothing was going on," Minton-McNeil said, adding "We can't get in because it is barricaded."

IMPD Neighborhood Resource Officer Tim Blackwell said "The passes are not liquid gold. It does not allow you to shoot the moon and go where you want to go." He said officers have the worst job in the world. It is dangerous, so after 12 hours of working a traffic post residents can expect an attitude from the officers if they are trying to abuse the passes. He told the audience to use common sense because the race is not a new event.

Leonard Morrow emphasized his experience with the inflexibility of police cadets compared to seasoned officers. He could not access his home just one block away, even after showing his ID "Let's be reasonable," he said.

"The attitude is so nasty," Minton-McNeil said, adding that image is projected on IMPD officers, even though officers from all over the state are directing traffic. She complained that the westside is the only side of town that comes to a "screeching halt" due to a race. She said downtown does not come to a halt during its events.

Kim Boyd explained the community has changed its schedule and has made a "concession to accommodate the IMS."

Boyd contends police officers could care less about the passes. People would like to know when the best time is to leave their neighborhoods to go to the stores. She said the officers should be able to communicate when there is a window of opportunity to let them go through. "I don't think it is unreasonable," she said.

"If you are going to put that race before God, you've got a problem," one resident said. His statement drew applause.

Rose Konare said she wanted to know if a road restriction list existed so she could get to church. "Church is important to me. There has to be some way I can get to church without being insulted."

White made a universal apology for those who had been insulted by IMPD officers.

Peggy Gamlin requested the IMS work with neighborhood residents to help with beautification of their areas to serve as a reason "to tolerate and to bear" those inconveniences while the IMS makes a profit.

She said businesses shut down on race day, losing profits, and churches have to change their schedules. She wanted the IMS to acknowledge its interference with the neighborhoods' quality of life. She offered a solution to appease neighborhoods by having the IMS invest in the 16th and 30th Street corridors, since the IMS takes over the two corridors during race events.

White encouraged residents to attend the IMS public safety meetings to address their concerns. He said all of the agency decision makers are present at the those meetings. The meetings are on the second Tuesday of the month at the Brickyard Crossing, starting in February.