INDIANAPOLIS — Construction on the Nickel Plate Trail is almost complete. The project, which began back in late 2023, is set to open to the public soon.
Right now, if you try to walk on the trail, you're going to see "sidewalk closed" signs or barriers, but - soon enough - those will all be gone. Once completed, residents all across Indianapolis will have a new way to access a variety of different neighborhoods across the city.
"It transports you," Peter Courtney said.
Courtney has been an advocate for the Nickel Plate Trail from day one.
"We sell shirts, we held fundraisers for it to show our support," he explained.
He is the co-owner of Movable Feast, which sits on 65th Street.
“People are going down Binford [Blvd], Allisonville [Rd], they don’t know what’s down here on 65th street," Courtney emphasized.
With the Nickel Plate Trail, that's going to change things.
“We’ve already started to see it," Courtney said. "Families coming in, biker groups saying ‘we had no idea you guys were here.'”
"I think it's just really inviting for the neighborhood," Lara Cooney exclaimed.
Cooney is the owner of Fire & Ice Cafe, which sits right off the new trail. She's seen that same influx of people firsthand.
“We have people that come in with their helmets, you know, they lock up their bikes, and have a little bite to eat or get some water," she said.
The trail is an almost $15 million investment from the city, with the goal of connecting communities and neighborhoods in a more accessible way.
"Ultimately, we want people to be able to explore Indianapolis," Divine Triplett, Public Information Officer with DPW, said. "Indianapolis is a beautiful city. It's a big city and it deserves to be explored, so this trail will give people the opportunity to do that even if they don't have a vehicle."
Once finished, it will run from the Indiana State Fairgrounds near 46th Street and Fall Creek Parkway up to 96th Street and Hague Road.
That's where it will connect to Fishers and Noblesville, making it nearly 18 miles long.
“This is a generational investment," Triplett said. "People are going to be talking about this trail just like they did with the Monon. People are already talking about it!"
People just like Courtney and Cooney.
"We really are excited about the influence of it," Courtney said. "It's going to be an economic driver throughout the whole corridor."
"We're eager to hear about the grand opening, so any day now," Cooney said.
The Nickel Plate Trail will connect to the Monon Trail and Fall Creek Trail at the State Fairgrounds. At the north end, the Nickel Plate Trail will connect to the Midland Trace Trail and then the Monon Trail, creating a 41-mile loop when everything is done.
DPW said they are putting the finishing touches on the trail right now. They are hoping to wrap up the project within the coming weeks.
To find a trail where you live, you can go to the Department of Natural Resources Indiana Trails Finder website.
