The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Speedway Trails Association (STA) today opened the recently completed B&O Trail extension in the town of Speedway and city of Indianapolis.

The new 1.9-mile asphalt multi-use rail trail was constructed by STA with help from a $4.9 million Next Level Trails (NLT) grant. The award was announced by Gov. Eric J. Holcomb in May 2019 as part of the first grant round of NLT. The project included a partnership with The Indianapolis Foundation and Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF).

The recently completed project extends the existing B&O Trail in Speedway to the east and west. The eastern extension adds 1.7 miles of new trail from Allison Way to Michigan Street in Haughville. The western extension includes a new bridge over Eagle Creek that extends the existing trail 0.2 miles west to High School Road.

The final connection to downtown Indianapolis will be a 1.0-mile protected bike lane along the improved Michigan Street corridor. The bike lane, which is under construction, is scheduled for completion in early 2024.

“When Governor Holcomb first announced the Next Level Trails program, he prioritized projects that would connect communities to one another,” said DNR Director Dan Bortner. “It’s hard to imagine a project that better realizes that vision than the B&O Trail between the Speedway and Indianapolis. The DNR is proud to partner with the Speedway Trail Association to build this major trail extension and to invest in Hoosiers’ quality of life.”

The project’s next phase of development, which is scheduled for completion in 2025, includes extending the B&O Trail west from High School Road 0.7 miles to meet the B&O Trail Association’s (BOTA) NLT project that will extend the existing 7.5-mile B&O Trail that begins at Raceway Road and runs through Hendricks County.

“Every May in the town of Speedway, residents and visitors from around the world connect to participate in the World’s Greatest Spectacle in Racing, the Indy 500 race,” said Bev Katterhenry, vice president of the STA. “Our motto, ‘Driven to Connect,’ comes from sharing the excitement of the roaring engines with our friends and neighbors. Thanks to the Next Level Trails program, Central Indiana Community Foundation, volunteers, and supporters for helping us connect the B&O Trail in the town of Speedway east through two neighborhoods into downtown Indianapolis and west over our new Eagle Creek Bridge. Seeing people now using the B&O Trail has the same pounding effect of the roaring engines.”

As part of Gov. Holcomb’s Next Level Connections initiative, NLT is the largest infusion of trails funding in state history. The now $180 million program is administered by the DNR and facilitates critical trail connections within and between Hoosier communities.

Including the B&O Trail, 18 NLT projects are complete totaling 58.53 miles of new trail open to the public. An additional 46 miles are under construction, and 138 more miles are in the pre-construction phase of development.

More information about the NLT is at on.IN.gov/NextLevelTrails.

To view more DNR news releases, please see dnr.IN.gov.