Indianapolis Nickel Plate Trail
A Catalyst for Connection, Development, and Growth
NICKEL PLATE TRAIL INDY is a proposed 10.3-mile multi-use trail and regional asset that will activate community nodes and spur placemaking and redevelopment. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to enhance the citywide and regional trail network.
Connecting 39th – 96th St. to Fishers and Noblesville
What if there was one amenity that could create…
Recreation
Fitness
Commerce
Learning
Socialization
Transportation
and so much more!
The Nickel Plate Trail will breathe new life into our community!
Imagine the impact on our community when everyone has access to the Nickel Plate Trail! Businesses will grow, restaurants will flourish, and people will connect.
One Amenity. Many Benefits.
The Indianapolis Nickel Plate Trail will be a boost to our community in many different ways. Here are just a few ways the trail will make all of our lives and businesses better.
Economic Opportunity
Equitable Investment
Trails can take former barriers (railroad tracks) and transform them in to a means of transportation and recreation for use by everyone (paved trail)!
Health & Wellness
40% of trail users reported they did not exercise regularly before having access to a trail.*
* 2017 Indiana Trails Study conducted by IU Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Land.
The Latest on the Nickel Plate Trail
The City of Indianapolis submitted the Next Level Trails grant application to the Indiana DNR in December 2021. We are looking forward to a decision in March 2022.
10.3 Miles
If awarded a funding match, the City of Indianapolis and our community partners propose to start construction as early as Fall of 2022 and complete by Spring of 2024.
$15.2 Million
Design engineering, construction inspection, and est. construction cost for a 10-foot wide asphalt trail with intersection safety improvements, trail signs, and emergency services location device
$1.2 million
Frequently Asked Questions about the Indianapolis Nickel Plate Trail
What is the Nickel Plate Trail?
The Nickel Plate Trail Indy is a proposed 10-foot wide multi-use asphalt trail on the old Nickel Plate Railroad bed from 96th street to 39th street.
How will the trail be funded?
The city of Indianapolis applied for a $5 million grant through the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Next Level Trails (NLT) program. The application was submitted on December 1st, 2022. Indianapolis was awarded the $5 million grant in Spring 2023. The city of Indianapolis has matched the awarded grant, To learn more, visit Next Level Trails.
When will the trail be constructed?
The City has already designated $1.2 million to fund the trail design work. Total funding has now been approved for the construction, and construction could begin as early as the fall of 2023 and be completed over the following 18 – 24 months.
Will this affect my property value?
A 2015 study by the Indiana University Public Policy Institute stated that “Property values within 500 feet (1 block) of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail have increased 148% from 2008 to 2014, an increase of $1 billion in assessed property value.”