Cardinal Greenway Construction Update

Spring weather is approaching and soon, Hoosiers will be outside listening to the birds singing, exercising under the warm sun and clearing their gardens for new growth. For many, their first stop will be the Cardinal Greenway. When they get there, they'll notice changes as they look down the trail at intersection crossings. Over the winter, while most were hiding from the cold, Cardinal Greenway staff and a host of others, were clearing brush, repairing bridges and preparing the unpaved trail segments for the trail construction that will occur later this summer.

For the last couple of years, trail users didn't see anything going on so many assumed nothing was happening. Quite the contrary. Engineering was drawing up plans, bids were being sought, an application for Transportation Enhancement funds was submitted to INDOT and hundreds of other items were checked off the 'to do' list. In April, the IN Department of Transportation will open bids to award a contract for the construction of the trail. Thirty to ninety days later, workers will begin work; when they're finished, we'll be much closer to linking Cardinal Greenway in Richmond with Cardinal Greenway in Losantville.

Cardinal Greenway begins within Richmond city limits. Two miles are currently paved. This summer, the new trail will connect at Industries Road and will be totally complete 10 miles later at Davis Myers Road. The next 10 miles, from Davis Myers to Main Street in Losantville, will include a layer of stone, but will not yet be paved. The trail will be accessible to hikers and those on mountain bikes. A future project will pave that 10 miles and will build trailheads.

"We have tried to work as much as possible this winter so that contractors can come in the Spring and begin work immediately," said Lee Elzemeyer, Wayne County Steering Committee. "The wildlife living along the trail will certainly keep trail users returning again and again."

"Adding 20 additional miles of trail will definitely be a maintenance challenge," said John Zetzl, Cardinal Greenway Board Member representing Wayne County. "We are hoping to recruit volunteers from Wayne, Randolph and Henry counties to help us keep this section as well-maintained as the rest of the trail."

Completion of this section puts us so close to total trail completion. When complete, Cardinal Greenway will be 60 miles, spanning from Richmond through Muncie to Marion. An additional two mile connection will hook up the Cardinal Greenway to the Sweetser Switch, a 3-mile trail in Sweetser, IN. Past Sweetser, the town of Converse plans to build a trail which also connects to the Sweetser Switch. The Indiana State Trails Plan outlines possible future connections that will reach into Illinois and connect with other trail systems.

Approximately 250,000 people use the trail annually. Greenway staff predict that the additional miles will bring numbers closer to a half million users. Cardinal Greenway will become the longest trail in the State of Indiana. As Governor Daniels says, "we don't have beaches or mountains, but we have some of the best cycling and running land in the country."

Economic development experts predict the trail will bring millions into the state. Many people already travel from out of state to spend a day, weekend or week on the trail. Some stay in hotels, some are campers, and many others stay with relatives who live near the trail. One gentleman was staying with his Mother, 6 hours away in Ohio, and drove over to spend the day on the trail. The state goal of trail organizations is to put a trail within 10 miles of every Hoosier. In addition to recreation, trails raise home values, improve health and fitness, help to decrease health insurance costs, create family bonding opportunities and get people back in touch with the

For questions, please call Lenette Freeman, Cardinal Greenway Executive Director at 765-287-0399 or email at lenette @ cardinalgreenways.org.



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