Monon Trail headed for major expansion in Carmel
Carmel plans to widen the Monon Greenway through its emerging downtown.
Mayor Jim Brainard and the City Council believe new businesses and apartments being built along the Monon could overcrowd the trail, especially near City Center, Midtown and the Arts & Design District.
The city hired Gehl Studio, which has offices in New York and San Francisco, for $170,200. The firm will redesign the Monon from Carmel Drive into the Arts & Design District. Options include simply widening the trail or adding new lanes.
The study, which will take three months, also will include options to turn Range Line Road into a more pedestrian and urban-friendly corridor.
Funding for both the Monon and Range Line Road enhancements are included in $242 million in bonds the city passed in January. (See map below of Monon projects.)
Here are four other projects planned on the Monon:
1. Ind. 32 to 196th Street
What: Westfield will extend the Monon from Ind. 32 to 181st Street this year. In 2015, the city extended the trail from 181st Street to Monon Elementary School, roughly 196th Street. The city will finish adding lighting and landscaping along that portion this year. The entire stretch is 1.3 miles.
Cost: $1.5 million.
2. 196th Street to 216th Street
What: Westfield will extend the trail from Monon Elementary School to the northern border of Washington Township, which is 216th Street.
Timeline: The 2.7-mile portion will be started and completed in 2017.
Cost: $2 million to $3 million.
3. Monon from 216th Street to Sheridan
What: Hamilton County will extend the trail 3 miles from 216th Street to an existing portion at Lamong Road in Sheridan.
Timeline: Construction will begin this spring, and the project will be completed by October. The county will link the trail to a roughly 1-mile portion that extends from Lamong Road to Sheridan's Biddle Park.
Cost: $1.5 million.
11 projects reshaping Noblesville
4. Monon Trail pedestrian bridge over Ind. 32
What: Westfield plans to build a pedestrian bridge for the Monon Trail over Ind. 32, similar to the one at 146th Street.
Timeline: Construction will begin in the fall of 2018 and be completed by summer 2019.
Cost: $3.3 million.
Call IndyStar reporter Chris Sikich at (317) 444-6036. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisSikich and at Facebook.com/chris.sikich.