Trail
Development
Crafting a vision for the Monon South Trail is an important initiative for our southern Indiana Uplands Region. The project presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a regional destination that connects and celebrates this region in such a unique manner.
About the Project
This project seeks to articulate the vision to create a multi-modal greenway connecting our southern Indiana communities along the Monon Rail Corridor. The visioning study offers the opportunity to define some potential direction for the future of the corridor that enhances the quality of life for the region and elevates the community conversation regarding the future of the corridor.
No local funds were used to acquire the corridor. The purchase and construction activities were initiated through a grant as part of the Next Level Trails grant fund, which is administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR). These grant funds are “state” dollars not “federal” dollars, which have a different set of regulations to comply with, many of which are beneficial to this project. Typically, funds from the Next Level Trails program allow for more efficient and expedited trail construction. The program does require an 80/20 matching grant.
Current
Trail Developments
Construction Progress
Check out photos of the ongoing construction progress in the following trail communities:
Borden & New Pekin & Clark County
Salem - Approximate Start of Early 2025
Campbellsburg & Saltillo- Approximate Start of Early Spring 2025
Salem Boxcar Restoration
An original L&N boxcar will be restored and repurposed for the community's use at the Salem trailhead to the Monon South Trail. This special project was made possible through a matching grant from over 90 donors on the Patronicity online crowd-funding platform and the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority’s (IHCDA) CreatINg Places program.
Currently undergoing the restorative process, progress on the Salem boxcar will continue to be shared on the Monon South Trail Facebook page.
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Borden Groundbreaking Ceremony
The groundbreaking event, which took place in Borden, Indiana on July 16, saw over 100 community members and leaders gather to commemorate the Monon South Trail, recognizing the future connectivity, economic development, and quality-of-life benefits that this trail will bring as the longest recreational trail in Indiana.
Over the next several months, the Monon South Trail will become a reality as construction commences with Phase 1 expected to be completed in 2025.
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Community Update Meetings
As construction gets underway, the Monon South Trail held community update meetings in Salem on July 17 and in Mitchell on July 24. In these meetings, the project team gave updates about trail construction to the community.
At the meetings, the construction schedule for
Phase 1A was shared:
Orleans - Approximate Start of July 2024
Mitchell - Approximate Start of July 2024
Borden - Approximate Start of September 2024
New Pekin - Approximate Start of September 2024
Clark County - Approximate Start of September 2024
Salem - Approximate Start of February 2025
Campbellsburg - Approximate Start of March 2025
Saltillo - Approximate Start of March 2025
