Monon Trail designs modified

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The Phase 6 and 7 sections will expand Monon Trail in Westfield. Construction is expected to begin next year for Phase 6 and 2015 for Phase 7 and be completed in 2016. The project is expected to cost nearly $8 million.
The Phase 6 and 7 sections will expand Monon Trail in Westfield. Construction is expected to begin next year for Phase 6 and 2015 for Phase 7 and be completed in 2016. The project is expected to cost nearly $8 million.

Westfield officials announced what two new areas of the Monon Trail will look like at a public information meeting on Sept. 17. The sections are known as Phase 6 (from Ind. 32 to Monon Trail Elementary) and Phase 7, which continues north to 216th Street.

“We wanted to inform the public of the changes from the original plan. Back then we didn’t know U.S. 31 construction was going to happen,” Parks Director Melody Jones said.

Jones said planning for the Monon Trail extension through Westfield began in 2004. Proposed modifications of the trail plan include the elimination of the equestrian trail and the potential trailhead south of 191st Street. One big change from the original plan is that the Monon Trail will be on the west side of Wheeler Road, not the east. Jones said the old plan put the trail too close to U.S. 31. The proposed trail will consist of a 12-foot-wide multi-purpose path along with a two-way 10-foot-wide cycle track.
Jones said land acquisition will begin next year. Construction of Phase 6 will begin late next year and be completed in 2015.

“Phase 7 will start in 2015 and be completed in 2016,” she said.

The project is expected cost $7,946,000. Jones said the city has received four 80-20 matching transportation grants.

“The city will pay $2.9 million for the whole project,” she said.

Proposed phase improvements:

■ Phase Six improvements will include a multi-purpose trail and a cycle track, which will start at the intersection of Ind. 32 and Wheeler Road and run along the west side of Wheeler Road to 181st Street. The multi-purpose trail and cycle track will connect to the existing cycle track constructed by INDOT as part of the Wheeler Road improvements and continue to Blackburn Road. A spur of the multi-purpose trail will continue east along the north side of 181st Street to the abandoned CSX-Monon Corridor. At the intersection of Blackburn Road and the proposed Wheeler Drive Extension, the multi-purpose trail and cycle track will continue north along the abandoned CSX -Monon railbed to the south property line of the Monon Trail Elementary School, 19400 Tomlinson Rd.

■ Phase Seven improvements will include a multi-purpose trail which will begin at the end of Phase Six and continue along the abandoned CSX-Monon railbed to 216th Street. A trailhead will be constructed along the south property line of the Monon Trail Elementary School and a rest node in Hortonville.


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