The City of Fishers is embarking on a 21-year journey to design and construct the Nickel Plate Trail along what was once the Nickel Plate rail line. Months of work, with input by more than 1,500 local citizens, culminated into the Master Plan unveiled Monday night at Launch Fishers.
Over 200 people crammed into the largest meeting room at Launch Fishers; many were Hamilton Southeastern students involved in the planning and their families. The City of Fishers says more than $250 million in private investment has been announced along the trail, from Hub & Spoke to First Internet Bank.
Fishers City Councilman John Weingardt and Amanda Welu of DELV Design co-chaired the large group involved in sifting through the many ideas submitted for the trail.
“We’ve spoken to hundreds of community members about their vision for this new kind of trail and the result – a dynamic trail experience not found anywhere in the U.S.,” said co-chair Amanda Welu. “As a resident of Fishers, it’s been an incredible process to work alongside colleagues and neighbors to bring this vision to fruition; it will be a unique destination for all.”
The master plan calls for a tunnel underneath 116th Street for those using the trail, with artwork and technology planned, adding to the experience in hopes the tunnel would become a destination. (Artistic rendering provided)
The Trail will feature five segments of uses:
- 96th Street to 106th Street: Makers Space and Innovation Zone
- 106th Street through Cheeney Creek: Nature Park Zone
- Just south of 116th Street through 126th Street: Downtown Active Core Zone
- 126th Street to 131st Street: Wellness Zone
- 131st Street to 146th Street: Park and Education Zone
The first trail segment has been financed through a bond issue authorized by the city council as part of the 2019 city budget. That goes from 106th Street to 126th Street.
It was emphasized that this is the master planning stage and the design phase for the trail would come later.
Fadness
Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness has been one of the trail’s biggest advocates. “We’re going to create a destination like no other in the country,” he said. “We’ve seen with the Monon (Trail), we’ve seen with the (downtown Indianapolis) Cultural Trail time and time again how popular those are with residents. We think this is a higher and better use for that asset.”
Fadness has also received criticism from groups including Save the Nickel Plate, a group that fought hard to preserve rail use. In the end, the city pushed ahead with a trail conversion and, after getting federal approval, announced the plan Monday.
“It’s already attracted over a quarter-billion dollars of investment in our community,” Fadness said. “So, it’s been wonderful from an economic development standpoint, but also the citizens are going to have a place where they can enjoy and walk and just be a part of our community for many, many years to come.”
Click here to view the entire master plan presentation.