Site work for Midland Trace Trail’s Phase III began Tuesday as trees along the planned trail will be cleared. Only trees from city-owned or public right-of-way land will be removed.
“Tree clearing is the first step in the construction process so the land can be prepped for site work. We’re excited to build off the success of the past two years and make this phase available to residents a year ahead of schedule,” Mayor John Ditslear said.
Phase III runs from Willowview to Hague roads. Construction of this section will be completed this summer. As with the previous two phases of the Midland Trace Trail, the city hired an independent arborist to review the clearing plans and the site to inventory trees that are outside the footprint required to build the trail. The city will save all healthy non-invasive species identified by the arborist and will remove the scrub or dead trees along the path.
Because of federal regulations for bat habitats, tree clearings must be done this time of the year before construction of the trails is ready to proceed. Trees will be recycled for mulch or lumber.
The Midland Trace Trail runs along the abandoned “Midland” Central Railway corridor (approximately 0.2 mile south of State Road 32). The multi-use trail is 12 feet wide. Once Phase III is completed, the trail provides a critical connection between existing and proposed trail sections that connects downtown Noblesville to Westfield, Zionsville and the Monon Trail system.