Mirror Indy recently published an article about crews excavating the old streetcar lines that are buried beneath Washington Street as part of the ongoing construction of the IndyGo Blue Line. Essentially, the city has to dig up part of its old, defunct transportation network in order to make way for its new BRT system.

Mirror Indy Article: https://mirrorindy.org/indianapolis-indygo-blue-line-crews-find-tracks-washington-street/

Many people are unaware that beneath the streets of Downtown Indianapolis and throughout the city’s older neighborhoods lie numerous layers of history. These layers consist of old roadbeds made of bricks, railroad ties, and other materials. Occasionally, these layers become visible, especially during the winter months when you can sometimes see the bricks from the old roadbed at the bottom of potholes.

When I read the article by Mirror Indy, I was reminded that I’ve witnessed this at least twice in the past 15 years, and I have photos to prove it.

Cultural Trail Extension to Fountain Square (2011)

The first time I took these pictures was back in April 2011, when the Indianapolis Cultural Trail was being extended along Virginia Avenue to Fountain Square. I probably took them when I was on my way to lunch at Naisa, which has since gone out of business, to my great sadness. I took these pictures with my old iPhone 4, so please excuse the photo quality.

Delaware Street Repaving (2021)

Ten years later, in 2021, Delaware Street underwent repaving. Piles of ties and rails were removed in order to create a stable base for the new roadbed. I happened to snag these photos from the passenger side of a car.

Check out the Mirror Indy article for more information, including a brief history of public transportation in the city.