Closing the gap, key section of rail to trail project completed

A key section of a west side, rail-to-trail project was completed this week. The B&O Trail Association and the Speedway Trails Association partnered on the project that has been a long time in the making. 

The vision for the trail reaching across west Central Indiana started in the 1990’s. Sections of the trail have been completed over the years – the most recent closed a gap between High School and Raceway roads on Indianapolis’s west side.

B&O Trail Association Secretary and Board Member Judith Kenninger says there's a lot of work behind the scenes.

"We had to purchase over 80 parcels of land, work with agents to make offers to the homeowners, we worked with the city to help us out as far as the land acquisition and register those parcels with the city,” Kenniger said.

The trail now runs 17 continuous miles, from the Indianapolis Cultural Trail through Speedway and into Hendricks County. The goal is to stretch the trail west of the Wabash River.

“Trails are about more than just miles and pavement – they make vital connections between people, communities, and the great outdoors,” said Indiana Department of Natural Resources Director Alan Morrison in a statement.

The trail has been mostly funded by more than $9 million from the state's Next Level Trails program. The City of Indianapolis contributed $350 thousand to fund new safety features at key trail crossings.

Kenninger said she previously used 21st street to ride downtown from Brownsburg and safety concerns are always top of mind.

"There are other places too, where you just don’t feel safe riding your bike and now I can ride my bike downtown, which I’ve done,” she said.

DNR has led the largest infusion of trails funding in state history, with $180 million in dedicated trail funding and more than 148 miles of trail built since the program’s started.

Contact WFYI Managing City Editor Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org.