Fall Creek Trail extension in Lawrence wins $5M grant
A project to extend the Fall Creek Greenway trail from Fort Benjamin Harrison State Park to the Upper Loop trail along Fall Creek near 79th Street has been awarded a $5 million grant from the state.
Work on the section of trail, which will push the greenway closer to its ultimate goal of connecting downtown Indianapolis to Geist Reservoir in Hamilton County, is expected to begin in 2025.
The 1.83-mile extension will likely begin at the intersection of 63rd Street and Lee Road, just east of Fort Ben and terminate at the Upper Fall Creek Loop Trail along Fall Creek Road. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources awarded the grant through the fourth round of its Next Level Trails program.
The effort was a partnership between the City of Lawrence, the City of Indianapolis, Indy’s Urban Wilderness and the Central Indiana Community Foundation of Indianapolis.
Eric Martin, director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Lawrence, said the extension would not have come together if it wasn’t for those partnerships.
“The trail is going to better everybody, not only Lawrence residents, but Hamilton County and Marion County residents as well,” Martin said. “Everyone can access these trails without getting on busy streets.”
The extension is still in the initial design phases and will soon have more accurate maps. For now, the idea is that there will be some boardwalk type structures along the Fall Creek Road portion as it traverses over wetter areas. The other portions will be built within a setback along Lee Road, East 71srt Street and portions of Fall Creek Road.
Once complete, the extension will stretch the Fall Creek Greenway trail more than 20 miles, closer to the ultimate goal of reaching Fishers in Hamilton County.
“I think we are on a pretty fast track with it,” Martin said. “The preliminary estimation is to have bidding in the fall of 2024 and construction starting either late this year or early next spring with a completion date in 2025.”
Lawrence had many bidders on its last trail project, and Martin said he expects this extension contract will be just as competitive.
“I think we’ll get some bids and push it through quickly especially with the fall bid date, that way they can have it on the books and ready to go in spring 2025,” Martin said.
Previously: Lawrence, Indy partnership hope Next Level Trails grant will extend Fall Creek Greenway
Lawrence led the application process for the grant with funding matches made by CICF and IUW. CICF provided a $1.75 million donation as a part of the Connected Communities Initiative, made possible by a grant by Lilly Endowment Inc.
Franklin Roesner, who represents the IUW board, said the total estimate for the project is just north of $7 million. The groups have reached that mark with the help of more than $10,000 donated to IUW from residents.
IUW helped connect the different partners for the extension project, Roesner said. Prior to the push for the extension, IUW was working independently on its own connectivity vision before the group saw the opportunity to bring the cities of Indy and Lawrence together, a vital move that pushed the project forward..
“The extension would sort of be a critical component and becomes the backbone for the greater connectivity vision,” Roesner said.
Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk
IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: State awards Next Level Trail grant to Fall Creek Greenway extension
