Ballard tweeted about it today. He's using his bully pulpit!

If it doesn't go through, it will not be because we, as citizens and supportive civic organizations, didn't make a heartfelt and data supported push for it. The hearing yesterday was overwhelming.

If by all the way to the end, you mean HB 1011 getting passed this session, I think the odds are 50/50. I think the House will be on board, but the Senators are another story. The pro-transit group must address density questions and federal funding concerns and questions. Projections of savings and revenue to the community with enhanced transit must also be made clear. The potential date of a referendum must be clear. This includes public health, time and operations savings, taxable income from jobs, etc. The argument, though correct and reasonable, that investment and talent will follow isn't strong enough on its on to entice skeptics. And unfortunately, doing right by the disadvantaged doesn't sell to Marion and Hamilton county voters.

When Indy Connect was introduced before the 2012 General Assembly, one reporter asked about density. Hoosier Environmental Council's Tim Maloney compared Indianapolis’ population density to other metro areas which have successful rail transit systems. Based on Census data, Denver, Phoenix, Salt Lake and St. Louis, all cities with well-regarded transit systems, have lower densities than Indy (444 people per square miles). Minneapolis, Charlotte and Cleveland - peer cities often compared with Indy in the mass transit discussion - have higher densities. At the news conference, Mark Miles noted that transit can leverage density. The fact is population density is just not a make or break factor for successful transit.

Similar to Mark Miles, Aaron Renn argues that the lack of urban density is a real problem for Indianapolis, and that it's with a transit infrastructure that we can begin to restore the urban core:

"In a nutshell, the urban core of Indianapolis is collapsing because it offers an 'urban lite' environment that is almost entirely automobile oriented and thus in direct competition with suburbs that are newer, of higher quality contemporary designs that meet the market demand of today, and which have better public services and lower taxes to boot.

urbanophile.com

House Bill 1011 just passed out of the Roads & Transportation committee with an 11-1 vote (Rep. Speedy voted no). Bill will now move to House Ways & Means Committee where it died during the 2012 session.

@Ryan you have your finger on the pulse of this: what kind of steps are next for Indy Connect and the rest of us that want decent transit in Indianapolis?

The next step is this will go to the House Ways & Means Committee as they are responsible for budgeting. This is the same committee that has to deal with the Health Reform Act, so their plate is pretty full. I'm not sure if there will be another hearing on the bill before this committee or not - I'm trying to figure that out and if so, when it will happen. Those who want to show their support can tell their state representatives on the House Ways & Means Committee (bit.ly) that they support HB 1011. And its always appropriate to tell their Rep and State Senators that they support this measure. Lastly, its important for people to remember that if this goes to referendum, it will do so in 2014. In other words, long road ahead.