Under the Bridge, Out of Sight: Challenging Displacement Under I-70

New signage posted overnight under the I-70 overpass at Washington Street, warning “DO NOT WALK” and declaring the public sidewalk as “Limited Access Highway Property.” Is this sign now being used to justify citations against unhoused neighbors sheltering in the shade?

Along Washington Street, beneath the I-70 overpass, a stretch of wide sidewalk has become refuge. For our unhoused neighbors, this shaded concrete space offers a break from the blistering summer heat-a simple but essential survival need.

Now, that space is under attack.

Overnight, new "NO TRESPASSING - LIMITED ACCESS HIGHWAY PROPERTY" signs appeared. Their message is aggressive and confusing: "Do not walk. Do not loiter. Do not sleep. Do not camp." Even pedestrians might wonder if walking through is allowed.

Here's the truth:

• This is a city sidewalk, not a restricted highway zone.

  
  

• Ordinance 76-2021 requires police to issue a 15-day written notice before removing encampments from public property.

  
  

• Merely sitting or resting on public sidewalks is not trespassing.

But IMPD, Indiana State Police, and IMPD Homeless Unit officers have been ordering people to leave and issuing citations anyway. These new signs (posted quietly overnight) are now being used to justify unlawful displacement.

And the harassment doesn't stop there.

To the firefighter operating Engine Number 11: Our neighbors witness your cruelty. Day or night, whether responding to a call or just driving through, you blast your horn while passing under the overpass, directly where unhoused neighbors are sheltering. This isn't public safety. It's targeted cruelty.

Each horn blast under that bridge is a deliberate choice. A choice to disrupt sleep. A choice to remind people that they're unwanted. A choice to harm.

We're asking you directly: Do better.

You wear a badge that stands for service. Let your actions reflect that.

At Allies for Humanity, we've taken formal steps:

• Filed public records requests with INDOT, DPW, and IMPD to clarify who authorized these signs, whether the sidewalk is legally restricted, and why citations are being issued.

  
  

• Requested body-worn camera footage and enforcement policies to hold officials accountable.

  
  

• Because every sidewalk tells a story; and in this city, too often that story is displacement disguised as safety.

What can you do?

• Know your rights. City law requires written notice before forced removal from public spaces.

  
  

• Witness and document. If you see police interacting with unhoused neighbors at the bridge, respectfully record, ask questions, and report.

  
  

• Stay connected. We'll share what we uncover as responses to our public records requests arrive.

The sidewalk under I-70 isn't just a patch of concrete. For some, it's the only safe place left. And until the city treats every person with dignity, we'll keep showing up.

Because shade isn't a crime. And survival shouldn't be treated as trespassing.