The Indianapolis Cultural Trail launched a new "wayfinding program" to help people navigate from the trail to nearby attractions.
A number of signs were placed along the portion of the trail going along Washington Street from West to Alabama Streets. The signs show maps of the cultural trail, nearby places of interest, and public art installations.
Kären Haley, director of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail, says the trail is a vital part of downtown Indianapolis.
"The cultural trail on Washington Street, it connects the IRT, to the Eiteljorg, to the State Museum, to the Symphony," Haley said. "And so we've got some information up there too to help educate people about all of these cultural destinations that they're truly just steps away from."
Officials hope the investment will help guide tourists visiting for sports or conventions to the city's cultural hotspots.
"Our opportunity is to help attendees discover the arts, culture, and experiences that make Indy distinctive," Visit Indy Vice President Chris Gahl said in a statement. "The Cultural Trail's wayfinding pilot can help close that gap, meeting visitors right where they already are, along the Cultural Trail."
Since it opened in May 2013, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail used its distinctive design to guide travelers without signage.
"It was originally designed so that the pavers and the paver patterns and the light posts and the gardens would kind of be your guide to help you navigate the cultural trail," Haley said.
But workers with the nonprofit recently donned cameras to observe people using the Cultural Trail and found the lack of guiding maps was an issue. People pulled up their phones to figure out how to navigate the trail, sometimes walking through plant beds that line the trail, sometimes stopping in a dangerous place meant for cyclists.
More signs will come to the rest of the trail, but this initial trial period will help determine which types of signs are most useful. Community feedback about the signs will shape how the rest of the trail will be upgraded.
"So we felt like if we can pilot this in kind of the busiest, most chaotic place on the cultural trail, then we'll learn a lot about and and be successful with implementing it in maybe the places that are more calm," Haley said.
The signs are funded by the READI 2.0 grant, awarded by Gov. Mike Braun to enhance tourism and economic growth across the state. The trial happening along Washington Street uses roughly $50,000 of grant money. Adding signs to the rest of the 10-mile trail after public comments are processed will use $500,000 of grant money.
The organization is asking people to visit the Washington Street stretch of the Cultural Trail and to fill out a survey. Results will be gathered until Dec. 15.
Officials expect taking a few months to compile community feedback and to refine their other sign designs. They said their hope is to install the additional signs by the end of 2027, but commuters could be waiting until 2028 for the full rollout.
Contact WFYI Digital Producer and Reporter Jeremy Reuben at jreuben@wfyi.org
