B&O Trail

The Speedway Trails Association, a 501c3 NPO, was established by the residents of Speedway to leverage partnerships with residents, organizations, businesses, and government agencies to establish a network of interconnected trails. This multi-use trail extends connectivity between existing sections of the B&O Trail to other pedestrian infrastructure and greenways in Indianapolis and the Town of Speedway. The 2.6 mile long 12-foot-wide trail segment follows the abandoned B&O rail corridor. Beyond addressing lack of connectivity, the B&O Trail aims to provide a safe pedestrian and bicycle link for commuters and recreational use on the west side of Marion County.

IEI led design and inspection for the 2.6 miles of trail that extends the already constructed portion through the Town of Speedway west to I-465 and east to Michigan Street. This extension included the modification of an existing bridge on 10th St over Little Eagle Creek to serve as a gateway between two communities, as well as the design of a new pedestrian bridge over Eagle Creek. The trail utilized the first round of IDNR Next Level Trails funding. Enhancements included drainage improvements, the implementation of hybrid beacons at high volume crossings, trail signing and wayfinding, and extensive landscaping.

IEI provided support for navigating alternate funding types (first project to receive IDNR Next Level Funding). In addition, ROW was purchased with private dollars and a Complete Streets approach was applied along 10th Street to eliminate a two-way left turn lane and reconfigure an existing bridge for the trail, which required coordination with Indy DPW and the town. Both resulted in expediting the project schedule and cost savings.