If you saw the new flashing sign at College and 67th Street or elsewhere, you probably wondered what it meant. I am referring to the sign "Construction on Red Line Starting Soon".

IndyGo's Jerome Home was kind enough to answer my questions about the new bus rapid transit line (aka The Red Line) that will link Broad Ripple with downtown.

When will construction start in Broad Ripple? IndyGo is working with the construction contractors on the exact sequencing of when and where construction will happen. A detailed construction schedule will be ready by mid-January. The schedule will be posted to the Red Line Website and available at upcoming public meetings.

Will lanes be closed on College Avenue in Broad Ripple? There will be periodic lane restrictions on College Avenue. There are no plans for full street closures.

At times it will be necessary to shift traffic over to the east or west sides of the street and have occasional flaggers directing traffic flow.

Some signalized cross streets such as 49th Street will have closures during construction in order to construct improvements such as ADA accessible curb ramps, better pedestrian crossings, and utility relocations. Construction contractors are looking for ways to minimize this impact.

Where will the stations be in Broad Ripple? The stations located in Broad Ripple North to South are: 66th St., Broad Ripple, Kessler, 54th St., 52nd St., 46th St., and 42nd St.

How long will the construction last and what does it entail? Construction will generally last 3 to 4 months in any one location and is most impactful at intersections where stations are located. There will be utility relocation and drainage work done on the east and west sides of the street. Road resurfacing and repaving will also take place.

• At intersections: Curb ramp improvements, sidewalk improvements where necessary, additional inlets, upsized stormwater pipes as needed (this will improve drainage), curb bump-outs at some locations (Minimizes the distance pedestrians have to cross the street), and localized relocations of signal/utility poles to meet ADA requirements.

• At stations: Station platform - 15" high, approx. 70-80' feet long and 12' wide, station structure (Roof canopy), and ticket Vending Machines, security cameras, lighting, ramps, bollards, communications equipment

• Along College: Diverter islands at non-signalized cross-streets, resurfacing of entire street, new pavement markings, raised Mountable Median (4" high, 18" wide,) This will be in the middle of the dedicated lane for buses on College, curb bump-outs at select locations, and new signals at 61st Street, entrance to Broad Ripple Parking garage, and new pedestrian signal at 52nd Street station.

Additionally, IndyGo will be hosting two public open house meetings in Broad Ripple to update the public on the construction. January 24, 12:30 pm @ College Ave Library (4180 N College Ave), and the other on January 25, 2018, 6 pm @ The Vogue (6259 N. College Ave).

More information about public meetings can be found on the Red Line Website.

If you have electrical heat like me, this brutal winter can be brutal on your IPL bill. I bought film insulation to put over my windows so I stop heating the outside. It still wasn't enough. The record cold temperatures in late December and early January mean higher electric bills may be coming for many of us. IPL's power view estimates my bill may be up more than 50% over last year. (You can monitor your daily usage and daily cost on their on line system known as PowerView. Visit www.IPLPower.com).

During extreme drops in temperature, similar to what central Indiana has experienced this past week, systems work much harder to attain a set temperature. If the outside temperature is extremely cold, the desired temperature inside may never be reached. Furthermore, using additional heat sources to compensate for the cold weather also has the potential to increase electric utility bills.

IPL understands that high winter bills can be a financial challenge for customers, so here are five resources available to help customers manage costs:

1. Budget Billing allows customers to pay about the same amount for 11 months and then settle the difference on the 12th month.

2. Payment Extensions can be requested online at IPLpower.com or by calling the automated system at 317.261.8222 and selecting option 2 from the main menu.

3. Preferred Bill Date is offered for IPL customers who want a due date that best matches their paydays.

4. Financial Assistance is available by calling the Connect2Help line at 2-1-1.

5. PowerView is an energy efficiency program and web-based tool that offers charts and graphs depicting monthly and daily energy usage, allows you to see bills over time, and compares you to similar households nearby.

Information on all of IPL's payment and billing options and energy efficiency programs can be found by going online at IPLpower.com.