Monon Trail

Northwest Indiana's portion of the Monon covers {{convert|4.4|mi}}, starting at the Pennsy Greenway near the Illinois–Indiana border in Munster, and running north to the Erie Lackawanna Trailhead in downtown Hammond.

In 2014, the trail was significantly extended, with a segment opening between Munster and Hammond.{{Cite news |last=Ortiz |first=Anna |date=July 23, 2014 |title=New bike trail leg bridges Munster, Hammond |work=The Times of Northwest Indiana |url=http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/new-bike-trail-leg-bridges-munster-hammond/article_a08f6806-1bed-57f4-8524-079a5ee524e4.html |access-date=November 18, 2015}} The segment connected a previously existing portion of the Monon Trail located entirely within Munster. The extension required the reconstruction of the old 1909 railroad bridge across the Little Calumet River, at a cost of approximately $1.5 million.{{Cite news |last=Earnshaw |first=Rob |date=July 7, 2014 |title=Hammond opens bike, pedestrian bridges |work=The Times of Northwest Indiana |url=http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/hammond/hammond-opens-bike-pedestrian-bridges/article_0b60f5a5-ab6f-5d4d-9493-5ba0edd87382.html |access-date=November 19, 2015}}

The Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which operates the South Shore commuter rail service, is reconstructing a portion of the rail route along the old Monon right-of-way. The West Lake Corridor project is planned to provide service from southern Lake County communities to and from downtown Chicago;{{Cite news |last=Carden |first=Dan |title=West Lake commuter rail line construction could begin in October |agency=NWI Times |url=https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/extra/news/west-lake-commuter-rail-line-construction-could-begin-in-october/article_286fadd5-1d4b-5871-882c-3a98a9e07ddc.html |access-date=July 18, 2020}} it is estimated to be completed in 2025.{{cite web |last=Gallenberger |first=Michael |last2=Media |first2=Lakeshore Public |date=November 26, 2024 |title=South Shore president not ruling out May opening of West Lake Corridor |url=https://www.insideindianabusiness.com/articles/south-shore-president-not-ruling-out-may-opening-of-west-lake-corridor |access-date=January 29, 2025 |website=Inside INdiana Business}}

{{Gallery

| title=Portions of the Monon Trail in Lake County

| width=190 | height=170 | align=center

| File:Old Monon Railroad tracks.jpg | Remnants of the abandoned railroad tracks and switch near the trailhead in Munster

| File:Monon Trailhead in Munster.jpg | The Monon Trailhead in downtown Munster was built in 2012.

| File:Monon Trail across Little Calumet River.jpg | The 1909 railroad bridge over the Little Calumet River was rebuilt in 2014 as a trail bridge.

| File:Monon Trail in Hammond.jpg | View of the Monon Trail looking south from the bridge over 165th St. in Hammond

| File:South Hammond station north view (June 2024).jpg | Monon Trail at the future South Hammond station.

}}

{{See also|List of parks in Indianapolis|Transportation in Indianapolis}}

File:Monon Rail-Trail Indianapolis.jpg

The Monon Trail in the Indianapolis area runs northward starting from just north of downtown Indianapolis, passing through Martindale's Hillside neighborhood, the King Park, Mapleton-Fall Creek, Meridian-Kessler, Broad Ripple, and Nora neighborhoods, and then proceeding into Carmel and Westfield, Indiana, a length of {{convert|18.1|mi}}. Plans to create a shared use trail on the former Monon right-of-way date back to the late 1980s.{{Cite news |date=February 19, 1988 |title=Residents want Monon corridor to be bought by city, made into recreational area-bicycling, hiking, running, etc. |work=The Indianapolis Star |publisher=Indiana State Library |url=https://www.statelib.lib.in.us/IndyNews/1848_1991_display.asp?ID=106315 |access-date=November 19, 2015}} In 1999, a {{convert|10.0|mi|adj=on}} segment in Indianapolis was completed, while a {{convert|5.2|mi|adj=on}} segment in Carmel was opened between 2001 and 2002.{{Cite web |last=Sunkel |first=Gwen |date=March 22, 2014 |title=In The Park: The Monon Rail-Trail |url=http://historicindianapolis.com/in-the-park-the-monon-rail-trail/ |access-date=November 18, 2015 |website=Historic Indianapolis.com}} The first phase of the trail cost approximately $5.5 million to create.{{Cite book |last=Price |first=Nelson |title=Indianapolis Then & Now |publisher=Thunder Bay Press |year=2004 |isbn=1-59223-208-6 |location=San Diego, California |pages=131}}

The trail was extended into Westfield starting in the fall of 2008, and since then has been extended north over the abandoned Monon right of way toward Sheridan, Indiana, for a total of {{convert|2.9|mi}} in Westfield.{{Cite web |title=Monon Greenway – Carmel |url=http://www.indianatrails.com/content/monon-trail-carmel |access-date=September 8, 2011 |website=Indiana Trails |publisher=Greenways Foundation}} In Indianapolis the Monon connects with the Central Canal Towpath along the Indiana Central Canal, and the Fall Creek Greenway. In Westfield, the trail provides access to the Midland Trace, Anna Kendall, and the Little Eagle Creek trails.{{Cite web |date=October 27, 2015 |title=Touring the trail: Monon Trail advocate, Alyn Bernell, takes ride through a portion of the Monon named after him |url=http://currentinwestfield.com/2015/touring-the-trail-monon-trail-advocate-alyn-bernell-takes-ride-through-a-portion-of-the-monon-named-after-him/ |access-date=November 18, 2015 |website=Current in Westfield}}

In the Indianapolis area, the Monon Trail is used by more than 1.3 million people annually.{{Cite web |date=March 1, 2009 |title=Indiana's Monon Trail |url=http://www.railstotrails.org/trailblog/2009/march/01/indianas-monon-trail/ |access-date=November 18, 2015 |publisher=Rails-To-Trails Conservancy}}{{Cite web |title=Monon Trail |url=http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPR/Greenways/Pages/Monon%20Trail.aspx |website=City of Indianapolis and Marion County}} The trail has been cited as having a positive economic impact to neighborhoods adjacent to the trail, including Broad Ripple in Indianapolis and the mixed-use developments of downtown Carmel, which have experienced a large growth in population over the past decade.{{Cite news |last=Earnshaw |first=Rob |date=July 21, 2014 |title=Neighborhood conditions impact quality of life |work=The Times of Northwest Indiana |url=http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/gary/neighborhood-conditions-impact-quality-of-life/article_bfc10c0d-3c1d-5b8e-8655-eae0940f5a47.html |access-date=November 19, 2015}}{{Cite web |date=May 2010 |title=The Economic Benefits of Open Space, Recreation Facilities and Walkable Community Design |url=http://atfiles.org/files/pdf/Economic-Benefits-Active.pdf |access-date=November 19, 2015 |website=American Trails.org |publisher=Active Living Research |page=4 }}{{Cite web |last=Flusche |first=Darren |date=July 2012 |title=Bicycling Means Business: The Economic Benefits of Bicycle Infrastructure |url=http://www.advocacyadvance.org/site_images/content/Final_Econ_Update(small).pdf |access-date=November 19, 2015 |publisher=Advocacy Advance |page=23 }}{{Cite web |title=National Road Heritage Trail Development Guide |url=http://www.indygov.org/eGov/City/DMD/Planning/Docs/Documents/EconBenefitsofTrails-INOfficeTourismDev-2008.pdf |access-date=November 19, 2015 |website=City of Indianapolis and Marion County |publisher=Indiana Office of Tourism Development |pages=1–2 }}

The longest continuous stretch begins in Indianapolis at 10th street, and runs North, terminating in Grand Park of Westfield at 191st street. This continuous stretch is {{convert|20.6|mi}}. After reaching Grand Park, bikers can take country roads to reconnect with the trail at 216th street, where the trail picks back up and goes another {{convert|3.1|mi}} and ending in Sheridan. The final connection from 191st Street to 216th Street was completed in 2020.{{Cite web |title=Monon Trail |url=http://www.westfield.in.gov/egov/apps/locations/facilities.egov?view=detail;id=90 |website=City of Westfield, Indiana}}{{update inline|date=November 2020}}

Visitor attractions along the trail:

• Monon Depot Museum
• Carmel City Center
• Monon Community Center{{Cite web |title=Monon Trail Itinerary |url=https://www.traillink.com/trail-itinerary/monon-trail.aspx |access-date=November 19, 2015 |website=Trail Link |publisher=Rails-to-Trails Conservancy}}
• Indianapolis Art Center

{{Gallery

| title=Portions of the Monon Trail in Marion and Hamilton Counties

| width=170 | height=170 | align=center

| File:Monon Trail bridge in Indianapolis.jpg | An original Monon Railroad bridge was repurposed as a trail overpass in Indianapolis.

| File:Monon Rail-Trail Indianapolis.jpg | The trail traverses Indianapolis's north side neighborhoods.

| File:Monon Greenway in downtown Carmel.jpg | A mixed-use development in downtown Carmel surrounds the Monon Greenway.

| File:Monon Greenway tunnel.jpg | North of Carmel, the greenway passes under U.S. Route 31 heading towards Westfield.

| File:Monon Greenway in Carmel.jpg | An overpass was created in Carmel's section of the greenway, spanning 146th St.

| File:Westfield_Monon_Bridge.jpg | A bridge over East 176th Street in Westfield, opened in May 2020.

|File:The_Indiana_School_for_the_Deaf_Monon_Trail_Plaza.jpg|Plaza near the Indiana School for the Deaf and 42nd Street in Indianapolis.}}

{{Reflist|2}}

{{Commons category|Monon Trail}}

;Maps

• {{Cite web |title=Monon Trail Map (up to 96th St.) |url=http://www.indygreenways.org/maps/mononTrail-Indy.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613005404/http://www.indygreenways.org/maps/mononTrail-Indy.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 13, 2013 |publisher=Greenways Foundation }}
• {{Cite web |title=Monon Greenway Map (96th St. to 146th St.) |url=http://carmelclayparks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/MononGreenwayTrailMap.jpg |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119052646/http://carmelclayparks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/MononGreenwayTrailMap.jpg |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 19, 2015 |website=Carmel · Clay Parks & Recreation}}

;Official websites

• [https://www.bikethemonon.com Bike the Monon]
• {{Cite web |title=Monon Trail |url=http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPR/Greenways/Pages/Monon%20Trail.aspx |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121212110415/http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPR/Greenways/Pages/Monon%20Trail.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 12, 2012 |website=City of Indianapolis and Marion County}}
• {{Cite web |title=Monon Trail |url=http://www.westfield.in.gov/egov/apps/locations/facilities.egov?view=detail;id=90 |website=City of Westfield, Indiana}}

;Video overview

• {{YouTube|JoNjz8A3QEc|Ride the Monon Trail: A Challenge to You}}

{{Parks in Indianapolis}}

{{Bicycling in Chicago}}

Category:1996 establishments in Indiana

Category:Bike paths in the Chicago metropolitan area

Category:National Recreation Trails in Indiana

Category:Protected areas of Hamilton County, Indiana

Category:Protected areas of Lake County, Indiana

Category:Protected areas of Marion County, Indiana

Category:Rail trails in Indiana

Category:Tourist attractions in Indianapolis

Category:Transportation in Hamilton County, Indiana

Category:Transportation in Indianapolis

Category:Transportation in Lake County, Indiana