The Indianapolis Department of Public Works is constructing an 8-mile Cultural Trail in the heart of downtown.

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When Indianapolis Mayor Gregory A. Ballard took office in January, his goal was to run the city like a business. That mindset has taken hold in various city departments, including the Department of Public Works (DPW). 

Currently, DPW is in the process of implementing a Consent Decree for the elimination of combined sewer overflows to achieve specific performance and water quality standards and is also constructing an 8-mile Cultural Trail in the heart of the downtown that promotes alternative modes of transportation by encouraging biking and walking.

Improving Infrastructure
The department has an annual operating budget of $198 million out of the city’s $1 billion budget with an additional $300 million in capital funds.  

With 650 employees, more than half of whom are American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees union workers, the department maintains a good working relationship with the union, notes David Sherman, director of the department of public works.

“They realize the deficit we have in the condition of our infrastructure and fleet, and we’re working together on how to streamline operations and get work done more efficiently,” he says.

One key challenge facing the city’s infrastructure is the issue of water quality and combined sewers.

The city is currently implementing a $1.73 billion Consent Decree that mandates the city eliminate its combined sewer overflows (CSOs) and complete the Long-Term Control Plan by the year 2025. In addition to addressing the CSO problem, the city has additional programs totaling $1.8 billion that address other sewage, drainage and septic tank elimination program needs.  

“We had seven billion gallons of sewage overflowing from our combined sewer system, which is a major issue,” Sherman says.

This $3.5 billion initiative is just a part of the infrastructure demand facing Indianapolis.

Transportation is another area that includes $1.5 billion in needed infrastructure improvements to streets, sidewalks, curbs, traffic signals and bridges.

One of the Department of Public Works’ major goals for the next four years is to rid the city’s streets of potholes. To this end, the department has taken a cue from the manufacturing industry and incorporated Six Sigma principles for pothole repair – one example of Mayor Ballard’s business-minded approach to city government.

DPW has brought in private-sector help on this initiative, with guidance from locally based Eli Lilly & Co.

Green Trail
One of the city’s major green initiatives is the eight-mile Indianapolis Cultural Trail – a pedestrian and bike trail that was designed to promote and link the city’s cultural districts, historic, entertainment and sports venues in the downtown area. Serving as the central hub for the city’s greenway system and soon-to-be introduced bike lanes, it will connect to the new Lucas Oil Stadium, which will host the 2012 Super Bowl.

The Cultural Trail will include landscaping features, public art, trail-specific signage and stormwater planters that will filter water before it runs into the city’s combined sewers.

Business Principles
In addition to the Six Sigma focus on pot holes, the city also introduced a program called Indy Stat, through which it measures progress through key performance indicators.

“We’ve developed performance indicators that every department is implementing – identifying timelines, schedules and best practices. In each case, we’ve been able to streamline our processes,” Sherman notes.  

Sherman says Mayor Ballard has led another initiative that routinely sends city officials out into the neighborhoods to listen to residents’ complaints and concerns. “We are truly listening and taking these concerns into consideration,” he says. “For example, we had some flooding on the north and east sides in January. We were able to quickly initiate projects to solve these flooding problems. In another area,  we were going to install 30-foot communication towers in front of houses to record how lift stations are working. Those neighbors told us they didn’t want to have 30-foot poles in front of their homes. We listened to them and were able to use existing telephone poles instead, and we saved $750,000.

“When the mayor took office in January, he went out and recruited people from private and public industry to run the city departments,” Sherman adds. “His mission is to use business principles in everything he’s doing and it’s paying off – we’re becoming more efficient and effective in addressing the needs of the citizens.”