Indianapolis begins widening its stretch of the Monon Trail: What you need to know
One of Indianapolis' most popular outdoor destinations is getting its first major upgrade since its completion 20 years ago.
The Department of Public Works on Wednesday kicked off the first phase of a project that would widen the Monon Trail from 14th to 96th streets, nearly its entire length through the city.
Crews will add up to two feet on each side, widening the rail trail to 10 to 14 feet, depending on the spot, and resurfacing the pavement while they're at it.
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"The Monon Trail has been a great success story. On some days, it's almost too successful," Mayor Joe Hogsett said at a groundbreaking ceremony near the trail's 42nd Street intersection, acknowledging the estimated 3 million people expected to use the trail this year.
"By expanding this heavily used trail, the city is recognizing the evolving lifestyles of new generations of residents of Indianapolis: a lifestyle where mobility includes more than just a car," he said.
The first phase, expected to cost $1.7 million and last through the end of 2022, concentrates on the southern half, from 14th to 56th streets. The land acquisition process is still underway for the second phase of the project, from 56th to 96th streets, for which construction is likely two or more years away, Public Works Director Dan Parker said.
Beginning as early as next week, portions of the trail will shut down for construction in approximately eight phases through the end of the year, each of which the city will announce ahead of time, he said.
As part of the North Split reconstruction project, Indiana Department of Transportation will widen the portion of the Monon from 10th to 14th streets to 14 feet. This renewed portion is scheduled to open this summer.
More: Why Monon Trail users will benefit from the North Split reconstruction
In spring 2017, officials announced virtually the same plan, citing congestion on the increasingly popular trail and a desire to make conditions safer for pedestrians and cyclists.
But before they put the project out to bid, spokesperson Ben Easley told IndyStar Wednesday, city lawyers reviewed a 2012 Indiana Supreme Court case, Henry L. Howard et. al. v. United States, that determined railroad easements — the right-of-way land beside the tracks that the former railroads used for utility poles — reverted back to individual property owners and could not be used for public trails. In other words, the city needed to purchase the land on either side of the trail.
It took several years to approach each property owner and purchase slivers of land into the public right-of-way, at a cost of $745,000 for acquisition and engineering. The Metropolitan Development Commission gave the final stamp of approval to this real estate transfer on March 2.
The second half will be more complicated since it consists of many more smaller parcels, Parker said. For that phase, the city has set aside $2 million for acquisition and right-of-way engineering costs.
Elsewhere on the Monon, a quarter-mile section in Carmel is closed until at least October for improvements, including widening, landscaping and adding seating areas.
Twenty-five years ago, many residents doubted the trail would even get built, let alone one day widened. Skeptics feared the greenway would invite unwanted strangers into their backyards or tank their home values. The opposite came true, as officials did not fail to mention Wednesday.
Read: Now beloved, the Monon Trail plan was once controversial
"As an elected official, I generally avoid pointing out the rare occasions when constituents get something not quite right, and I'm not going to do that today," City-County Council President Vop Osili said. "I will say, however, how pleased I am that those fears and those doubts were never realized, but that the Monon Trail was."
Contact IndyStar transportation reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter @kayla_dwyer17.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Monon Trail construction in Indianapolis: What closures to expect
