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Save the Nickel Plate holds first community session: Group points to city documents to advance “Rails and Trails” initiative

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By on Fishers, Fishers Community

By Sadie Hunter

Save the Nickel Plate held its first community listening session June 19.

The community group formed in response to the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority’s Feb. 28 announcement of the proposed Nickel Plate Trail, a 9.2-mile, $9 million walking and biking trail from 96th Street in Fishers to Pleasant Street in Noblesville. The HHPA – made up of equal parts City of Fishers, City of Noblesville and Hamilton County governments – owns the rail line.

Lead by group member Logan Day, approximately 50 area residents attended the meeting at the Noblesville Township Community Center, 372 S. Eighth St., Noblesville.

Now, the group is pointing to City of Fishers documents to help advance its “Rails and Trails” idea that would save the tracks and rail line from being removed while also supporting construction of the proposed trail.

1996 HHPA LETTER TO INDOT

In 1996, then-executive director of the HHPA, Larry Hopkins, wrote a letter, dated March 21, to the Indiana Dept. of Transportation requesting the remaining $250,000 of additional funds from a $1.25 million transportation enhancement grant the HHPA had received to purchase and improve the Nickel Plate Rail Line.

In the letter, he stated, “Our intent is to use this line primarily to operate historic and recreational railroads.”

2013 TRANSPORATION PLAN SURVEY

In 2013, Fishers completed a Transportation Plan survey. A majority of respondents ranked improving connections between Fishers and other Indianapolis metropolitan areas  and improving transportation options for pedestrians as “very important.”

One question from the study, “If the following services were available to me, I would use them,” showed overwhelming support for both a rail system and walking paths when compared to bike lanes, carpools, park-and-ride options and shuttle buses.

“Our suggestion from the very beginning, as our little handheld signs say, has been rails and trails, but they act like trails is the only thing that’s going to work for them,” Day said.

JULY 2014 BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN

Several proposed route maps from Fishers’ July 2014 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan shows “proposed trail next to rail” along the rail line through the city.

In the same document, a list of mid-term capital project recommendations to be implemented within the next six to 10 years (from 2014) lists a plan for a trail next to the rail line for 2.27 miles from 96th to 116th Streets and for 2.74 miles from Lantern Road to 146th Street.

2014 NICKEL PLATE DISTRICT CODE

Adopted in February 2014, Fishers’ Nickel Plate District Code states that “Dating back to the time when it was referred to as Fishers’ Switch, the (Nickel Plate District) was built off of the activity and commerce from the railroad. Though few remnants of those times remain, the railroad could once again unlock greater potential for the Nickel Plate District though connection to Indianapolis and other regional destinations.”

“Connection into Indianapolis is something this community could benefit from in a variety of ways and would certainly make for a world-class feature that no one else has,” Day said. “The future potential of this is what really causes us to look at the proposed trail-only idea and say, ‘How much foresight, how much future vision is there really in this plan?’ We don’t see it.”

A petition from the Save the Nickel Plate group has garnered approximately 6,000 signatures.

Day said Save the Nickel Plate will hold bi-weekly meetings, alternating between Fishers and Noblesville. As of press time, a date for the next meeting had not been set. For more, visit savethenickelplate.org.


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Save the Nickel Plate holds first community session: Group points to city documents to advance “Rails and Trails” initiative

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By on Noblesville, Noblesville Community

By Sadie Hunter

Save the Nickel Plate held its first community listening session June 19.

The community group formed in response to the Hoosier Heritage Port Authority’s Feb. 28 announcement of the proposed Nickel Plate Trail, a 9.2-mile, $9 million walking and biking trail from 96th Street in Fishers to Pleasant Street in Noblesville. The HHPA – made up of equal parts City of Fishers, City of Noblesville and Hamilton County governments – owns the rail line.

Lead by group member Logan Day, approximately 50 area residents attended the meeting at the Noblesville Township Community Center, 372 S. Eighth St., Noblesville.

Now, the group is pointing to City of Fishers documents to help advance its “Rails and Trails” idea that would save the tracks and rail line from being removed while also supporting construction of the proposed trail.

1996 HHPA LETTER TO INDOT

In 1996, then-executive director of the HHPA, Larry Hopkins, wrote a letter, dated March 21, to the Indiana Dept. of Transportation requesting the remaining $250,000 of additional funds from a $1.25 million transportation enhancement grant the HHPA had received to purchase and improve the Nickel Plate Rail Line.

In the letter, he stated, “Our intent is to use this line primarily to operate historic and recreational railroads.”

2013 TRANSPORATION PLAN SURVEY

In 2013, Fishers completed a Transportation Plan survey. A majority of respondents ranked improving connections between Fishers and other Indianapolis metropolitan areas  and improving transportation options for pedestrians as “very important.”

One question from the study, “If the following services were available to me, I would use them,” showed overwhelming support for both a rail system and walking paths when compared to bike lanes, carpools, park-and-ride options and shuttle buses.

“Our suggestion from the very beginning, as our little handheld signs say, has been rails and trails, but they act like trails is the only thing that’s going to work for them,” Day said.

JULY 2014 BICYCLE AND PEDESTRIAN MASTER PLAN

Several proposed route maps from Fishers’ July 2014 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan shows “proposed trail next to rail” along the rail line through the city.

In the same document, a list of mid-term capital project recommendations to be implemented within the next six to 10 years (from 2014) lists a plan for a trail next to the rail line for 2.27 miles from 96th to 116th Streets and for 2.74 miles from Lantern Road to 146th Street.

2014 NICKEL PLATE DISTRICT CODE

Adopted in February 2014, Fishers’ Nickel Plate District Code states that “Dating back to the time when it was referred to as Fishers’ Switch, the (Nickel Plate District) was built off of the activity and commerce from the railroad. Though few remnants of those times remain, the railroad could once again unlock greater potential for the Nickel Plate District though connection to Indianapolis and other regional destinations.”

“Connection into Indianapolis is something this community could benefit from in a variety of ways and would certainly make for a world-class feature that no one else has,” Day said. “The future potential of this is what really causes us to look at the proposed trail-only idea and say, ‘How much foresight, how much future vision is there really in this plan?’ We don’t see it.”

A petition from the Save the Nickel Plate group has garnered approximately 6,000 signatures.

Day said Save the Nickel Plate will hold bi-weekly meetings, alternating between Fishers and Noblesville. As of press time, a date for the next meeting had not been set. For more, visit savethenickelplate.org.


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