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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday evening unanimously approved $25 million in funding for nine greenway and trails projects around the city.
The money will go toward design and construction projects at Pleasant Run Trail and Pogue’s Run Trail, and design projects at Monon Trail, Nickel Plate Trail, Eagle Creek Trail, Grassy Creek Trail, Interurban Trail, 21st Street Trail and West 30th Street.
“As we came out of the pandemic, trails and greenways was one of those quality-of-life things that folks said they really want, and it should be on all sides of town, not just one,” Department of Public Works Director Dan Parker told a council committee in August.
He added that the distribution of the new projects was an effort to make “strategic investments in areas without trails.”
The $25 million total includes $4 million padding for additional land acquisition and construction.
“Something of this magnitude, of $25 million, is just going to be truly transformational for our city, for our residents, for the economy and hopefully, the public health and wellbeing of our community—our entire community, because of how well DPW has done at spreading these dollars out across the city and across the county,” Kären Haley, executive director of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, told councilors last month.
The funding is the third phase of Mayor Joe Hogsett’s Circle City Forward initiative. Previous phases included money for residential streets, several parks and public buildings.
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Bravo!
I don’t begrudge any of these trails their funding, but how about a little love for some south side trails?
This includes design and engineering funds for the Interurban Trail from Old Southside to County Line Road. This makes it significantly more eligible for Federal and State funds.
I’m in Irvington, so many of these projects are in my backyard! But you’re right: The southside needs more. Greenwood is doing a good job though.
The north side abandoned right of way of former rail lines. South side lines are mainly still active so you’d likely have to acquire a lot more property from different owners to get a trail going, or use existing right of way along roads.
I think getting some traffic calming on Madison would be something worth studying. There’s already a (crappy) bike lane there, and Greenwood has a nice bi-direction bike lane going into their downtown. Install traffic calming including such as a median with street trees would be good to help calm traffic, maybe some raised crosswalks as you get closer to Greenwood, and paved pathways instead of sidewalks.
A map graphic or link would be welcome.
IndyStar: Indianapolis will spend $25M on trails. Here’s where. Map included, may require subscription.
https://www.indystar.com/story/news/local/indianapolis/2021/09/02/indianapolis-trails-nickel-plate-pleasant-run-eagle-creek-funding/5570162001/