YOUR QUESTIONS

Considering what is spent on new roundabouts and road work, does the city run a deficit each year? And if so, how much? There seems to be a great deal of confusion about our city finances. Many believe what they read on certain social media pages that Carmel is in a...

Where are the buildings that taxpayers were guaranteed? Dear Mr. Shaver, We have reviewed your concerns and offer the following information to address your questions. We grant you that the project is not yet fully constructed, but through many years of experience with...

Is Carmel planning on extending the hours of the Monon Greenway like Indianapolis did? With the expansion of the Monon Greenway in the Midtown area, along with the added opportunities for nightlife in our central corridor, the City is planning to increase the hours to...

What are those “wrap-around” spaces being built at the base of the new Veterans Way parking garage? This is a clever way to make a parking garage look less like a parking garage and more like the rest of City Center. This project is another example of mixed-use...

Why does Carmel purchase so much public art from out-of-town artists, instead of local artists? When people raise questions about public art in Carmel, they typically are focused on the big-ticket items, such as the Seward Johnson statues or the roundabout sculptures...

What is the benefit of building more roundabouts? Aren't they more dangerous than conventional intersections? The safety and traffic mobility benefits of modern roundabouts are well established and accepted by the Federal Highway Administrations, most all state...

Why doesn’t the City build a pedestrian bridge for students over 136th Street near Carmel High School’s football stadium? Students who park in the football stadium parking lot must cross 4 lanes of traffic in order to enter the high school campus. We have heard some...

How does the City of Carmel justify “robbing the schools” of tax money when they do TIF projects? This is a fair question. Here is the background: whenever Carmel partners with a private developer on a TIF project, property tax revenues from incremental assessed value...

Why is the city putting dedicated bike lanes on its streets when we already have the Monon Trail? The Monon Trail has played a key role in the redevelopment of our City’s central core, helping to spur a certain vibrancy and economic boost in areas such City Center,...

Why is the speed limit on some parts of 116th Street 35 MPH, while narrower parts are 40 MPH? The speed limit on 116th Street from Meridian to Range Line is currently 35 MPH. However, the speed limit from Meridian to Towne is 40 MPH. There are many factors that go...

Do “speed humps” have to be so high? Can they be lowered? In order to lower the raised pedestrian crossings, you would need to completely remove them or modify the ramp leading up to the crosswalk elevation, thus extending the transition length. The heights are...

Why does the City spend so much on Christkindlmarkt? Over the past few decades, the City of Carmel has offered support for many activities that serve as community celebrations – events where residents can gather in public spaces and make new friends or catch up with...

When will the Palladium ever be self-sustaining? Unlike many performing arts centers, the Palladium was established before an endowment was in place to help support its mission and its building project. Typically, it takes years for such an effort to get underway,...

What’s with the big “speed bumps” on Range Line Road? These are speed “humps” or “raised pedestrian crosswalks” and they serve a couple of purposes, both tied to increased safety. As the Range Line Road corridor has begun to change, along with the nature of the area...

Allegedly, the City paid $250,000 for the new Gluhwein Pyramid at the Carmel Christkindlmarkt. If this is true, how do you justify spending that much money? This is just a rumor. The City did not pay one penny for the new Gluhwein Pyramid that is featured at this...

Why are we placing our priority on bikes over cars when more people drive cars than ride bikes? It’s hard to imagine a City that has built more than 120 roundabouts being accused of prioritizing bicycles over cars, but this is one of the questions we often get. Thanks...

Why do we spend so much money on statues and roundabout art? Whenever a city invests in public art, questions are raised. Why spend money on a statue or a piece of roundabout art when this road needs to be paved or that storm sewer needs to be replaced? We agree … a...

    I understand that Carmel’s debt continues to rise. Is this going to be a burden to our grandchildren? On the contrary, the investments that the City of Carmel is currently making in its redevelopment areas will be a gift to your grandchildren, not a burden. We...

  If Marriott won’t build their own hotel in downtown Carmel, why should the taxpayer? When a City takes on the burden of expense related to the construction of an amenity like a sports stadium or a hotel, it is reasonable to wonder… “Why not let the private sector...

Carmel spent millions on the Monon Trail for bicycles. Why do they now need to ride on Range Line Road with costly planters? Range Line Road was once seen as a major thoroughfare in Carmel … four lanes of heavy traffic with a center turn lane (so you might as well say...

I saw the last bond was backed by a “Special Benefits Tax. Does that mean my taxes are going up as a result? On the contrary, the City of Carmel has never raised local taxes in order to cover a bond issue. In fact, whenever bonds are issued for various projects –...

Why does Carmel use TIF? Let’s begin with a simple definition. TIF stands for Tax Incremental Financing, a tool created by the State of Indiana and used all across the country to encourage redevelopment of areas that have been neglected over time. Here is how TIF...