INDIANAPOLIS — Post Road between Interstates 70 and 74 has become a popular place for companies to build warehouses and industrial centers in recent years. The road itself is bearing the load, so the city hopes the companies' tax revenue can pay for improvements.
Indianapolis is planning a tax increment financing district, or TIF, centered around Post Road between Washington and Raymond Streets. If approved, it could reserve an estimated $2 million per year from commercial taxes for infrastructure costs.
"Because more warehouses are being built, the truck traffic in the area is increasing," said Emily Scott of the Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development. "Only additional tax revenue from commercial and industrial development goes into that special fund. If you don't draw a TIF, the taxes will never be harnessed to be able to invest more in that particular area."
The Post Road TIF district plans were discussed in a committee meeting Monday night. It will be reintroduced to City-County Council and could be approved as soon as next month.
John Crafton recently moved into the district in a house across Post Road from a Pepsi bottling plant. He said the traffic on his street has become frustrating and dangerous.
"When we have to turn here at this intersection to come into our driveway, we almost get hit daily with people not paying attention and flying down through here," Crafton said. "Add the semis wanting to turn in here at Pepsi, and it's a nightmare."
If approved, the city hopes to make the road safer for both drivers and pedestrians, including adding sidewalks on the affected portion of Post Road.
Crafton hopes those improvements happen sooner rather than later.
"We've had a couple people take out road signs on our property," Crafton said. "We've had one hit a pine tree over here and multiple wrecks out here from people not seeing the semis and rear-ending them."
South Post Road already has one major improvement. The Department of Public Works recently completed a roundabout intersection of Post Road and Raymond Street.
