Finding your way around Indianapolis (Marion, Franklin: how much, to buy, school)

[hapaleeretired]

I am constantly amazed how many people who live here cannot find their way around the city. For them and those of you who are new to Indianapolis I offer a brief tutorial on how to find your way about. It is really quite simple. The city is divided east to west by Meridian Street and by north and south by Washington Street which is replaced by Rockville Road on the west side when Washington Street veers to the south. When you drive east or west away from Meridian Street the numbers climb. If you drive toward Meridian the numbers diminish. The same thing for driving toward or away from Washington Street if you are on a north/south street.
Basically a city block is one tenth of a mile. When at Tenth Street you are ten blocks and one mile from Washington Street. At 38th Street you are 3.8 miles north of Washington Street.
If you were to ask me the location of Michigan Street I would tell you it is 500 north which means it is five blocks north of Washington Street. The north side with the numbered streets are the easiest to find you way around on. The rest of the city you have to learn landmark streets. The southside for instance has Prospect Street at 1100 south (11 blocks south of Washington Street, Raymond Street is 2200 south (22 blocks or 2.2 miles south, Troy Ave is 3000 south, Hanna at 4000 then Thompson Road 5000, Edgewood Ave 6000, Southport Road 7000, Stop 11 Road 8000 and finally County Line Road which is 9000 south and 9 miles south of Washington Street.
The major landmark streets to the east are: Keystone Ave which is 2400 east which is 2.4 miles east of Meridian Street, Sherman Ave which is 3800 east, Emerson Ave 5100 east, Arlington Ave 6000 east, Shadeland Ave 7000 east, Franklin Road 8000 east, Post Road 9000 east, Mitthoefer 1000 east and German Church Road which is 11000 east (11 miles east of Meridian Street.
The west I have always found to be the most confussing beginning with Rockville Road replacing Washington Street as the dividing line. There are fewer landmark Streets. West Street is 500 west, Belmont Ave is 2100 west, Tibbs is 3400 west, Lynhurst is 5300 west, Moller Road is 5500 west, Girls School Road is 7300 west.
Notice that some street signs will tell you at what hundred you are located. This will help you figure out your location with respect to the center of the city.
Once you learn this system you can venture out into the surrounding counties where the county roads are set up on the same grid system marked in miles instead of blocks.
Hope a few of you find this helpful.

[sweetana3]

I am thankful that Indy is arranged so logically. We learned a lot by gettng a map book and enjoying many Saturdays doing garage sales. I am always amazed at the little pockets that we used to find and how much we learned about the city.

[Michelle Morris]

I love the grid system. I lived in Virginia Beach for a while and I was completely lost on their roads. At least in Indiana I know that if I go stright one way for long enough I will definitely run into a road I am familiar with.

[mobyhead]

As easy as it may seem I still needed to buy my wife one of these last week...

[Daetor2005]

Yeah, this guide helped a lot. I live in southern Marion county so everything's pretty much compacted together, i.e. walmart, krogers, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, Target and such are not even 5 miles away, it's all in a nice little plaza, so I don't go to downtown indianapolis, just north a bit to see my family.

[agnt.starling]

I know this is an old Post, but I had to respond, I lived out there for 3 years, while my husband was in the military, with his family in North Indy.

His mother lent me his car, gave me some instructions on where to go, I probably spent a day or two (back in 1991), and maybe got lost a few times, but after that, I found my way around w/no problems, even got a job, (I was a new mom & felt guilty not contributing to their household).....another thing was that I was able to sniff out any shopping malls, and/or stores, especially for bargains, so that was drive to explore.

I went back awhile w/both my girls to visit their Grandma, in 2001, and saw that it had grew even more, and I drove her car to go get something to eat, and we ended up driving all around again, took me awhile, but within the hour I kinda remembered how to get around again. Its really easy to get around, just as the OP states in the original post. (Excellent guide by the way)

I can only imagine since my visit in 2001, that its probably changed even more since, and I do hope to get a chance to visit again soon (hopefully before grandkids come)

[hapaleeretired]

With all the people I read about moving to Indy let me "bump" this thread again for their benefit.