Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows is excited to see an increase in greenways and walking trails in Indianapolis. As a frequent user of the Cultural Trail — which city leaders announced Nov. 4 will be expanded by two miles along South Street and Indiana Avenue — Baskerville-Burrows said any increase in trails is a benefit for pedestrians and cyclists.
“Designated lanes for people to walk and cycle automatically makes things safer,” Baskerville-Burrows said. “In the space that they’ve taken into account, the expansion is going to connect some key pieces, increase safety … and allow more people to explore the city.”
The expansion will include bike lanes and walking trails connecting several Indianapolis neighborhoods, as well as gardens and art installations. Construction is set to begin later this month. With fatal collisions on the rise, many cyclists and pedestrians say more pedestrian-focused infrastructure is needed in the city.
During the groundbreaking event Nov. 4, Mayor Joe Hogsett said the city prided itself on having “one of the most walkable downtowns in America.”
In an email, the mayor’s office clarified the mayor was speaking literally about the distances between landmarks downtown.
“Few cities have its stadiums located downtown, along with one of the biggest convention centers in the country,” Mark Bode, communications director for Hogsett, wrote in an email. “A routine comment from visitors —whether sports or conventions — is how convenient it is to walk from lodgings to event to food etc. With the new addition to the Cultural Trail, it will pass by both Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse.”
As far as pedestrian safety is concerned, Indianapolis is facing a crisis. Between 2019-2020, the city saw a 37% increase in car crashes. According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), there have been 189 vehicle crashes involving pedestrians and 19 pedestrians killed in Indianapolis as of Oct. 7.
Dawn Olsen is hesitant about running downtown after a driver hit her with their car in 2019 at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Vermont streets. In a previous interview with the Recorder, the Fletcher Place Neighborhood Association president said she knows several people who have been hit or who’ve had close calls.
“Indianapolis is very car-friendly. It’s built for the automobile,” Olsen said. “The secret motto of transportation here in the city is that some people need to be sacrificed so other people can get somewhere faster.”
Olsen said she would like to see turn phasing, like in the Netherlands, be implemented in Indianapolis. There, lights are set up to give pedestrians, cyclists and drivers designated times to cross intersections. Olsen said the system slows down car traffic, but it keeps everyone on the roads safe.
Indianapolis officials know the city has a safety problem. That’s where the Cultural Trail expansion comes in.
Kären Haley, executive director of Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc., said the trail’s expansion will enhance connectivity between Indianapolis neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for residents along South Street and Indiana Avenue, where construction will take place later this month. Designated areas for cyclists and pedestrians will not only enhance connectivity throughout downtown, she said, but enhance public safety.
The expansion is the first in the Cultural Trail’s 15-year history and will be completed by 2023. Funding comes from the Lilly Foundation and Lilly Endowment, as well as $25 million set aside by the city’s Circle City Forward plan for trail and road enhancement.
Contact staff writer Breanna Cooper at 317-762-7848. Follow her on Twitter @BreannaNCooper.
