Making the Case for Indy Commuter Rail: Part 3b 116th St (Fishers)
Fishers ready made platform, Nikon D90 w/ Tokina 12-24 f4
At this point, Im not really sure I have anything negative to say about this stop. A contractor has already came in and fixed up this stop. It couldnt be much more ready made to seemlessly meld into the proposed route. We pulled into this stop at 116th street in Fishers in December to investigate, cameras in hand. What we saw, was a site that looked planned for the commuter line. For all the criticism levelled against the suburbs from the urban-ites, they can't have much to say about this stop except, "it needs more parking". That too, is all I would suggest. There are bike racks already on site. The track is in good shape. There is a siding for a second lane in the future. They even have a covered platform. I couldnt help but laugh that there was snow on the ground, and the sidewalk was plowed. For who? We can't even get the city to enforce ordinance within Indianapolis city limits when it comes to shovelling public sidewalks, and here we have a place that even in the winter, is not part of a historic train schedule. I was impressed at the condition of this stop.
Bike racks are already on site
As I mentioned, they need more parking. If you have never been here, the train station is occupied by the Fishers Chamber of Commerce and is also the site of the Hamilton County Visitor Center. Further back along the drive are a library, a fire department and other municipal buildings. An ariel view on google (not included on this post) shows that there is ample room if needed, to construct a larger park and ride, something planners may face a little haggling over with the Fishers town folk. In the end, I think a compromise can be struck when it comes to the bigger picture. Enjoy the photos. This is one of my easiest parts of the series. Next I will be exploring the 71st Street/Graham Road/Binford Blvd area.
part 4: Future Expectations
