INDIANAPOLIS | Indianapolis Cultural Trail | U/C

[CorrND]

Originally Posted by Indy Rock

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en...27509&t=h&z=15

Just call it... THE TRAIL TRIATHLON!!!
(It starts at the Davlon Park & heads north)

Cool idea. But there are standard lengths for triathlons and ratios between the different sections. And the order should be swim-bike-run. And that bike section would be over in the blink of an eye.

If you want to keep it strictly to the Cultural Trail, you'd probably have to throw out standard lengths/ratios. But you could to do something like swim a section of the canal (something like what you've got), bike the connected loop of the trail, then run a loop of the canal. That actually might not be too far off the "short distance" on this chart:

http://www.runtheplanet.com/training...n/trichart.asp

[CorrND]

I've put up some new photos of the Cultural Trail this week. You can check out the whole set, in reverse chronological order here:

http://dig-b.blogspot.com/search/lab...Trail%20Photos

Here are a couple extra shots of the completed section of brick road on Walnut.

[CorrND]

http://dig-b.blogspot.com/2009/08/ph...-trail_18.html

[cwilson758]

I really hope the Walnut Street section does something for that corridor. Cuts thru the center of DT and is probably one of teh weakest in the CBD

[socrates#1fan]

There are some fantastic structures in that area.
I hope the cultural trail encourages both development and restorations.

[CorrND]

They started ripping out the northbound West-to-St. Clair left-turn lane this morning. That turn lane is to be permanently removed and the center island extended up to the intersection, providing a stop-over point for Cultural Trail users that can't cross all of West St. during a single light cycle. As of today, it's impossible to even power walk across West St. at St. Clair during the available crossing time.

When this project is done, it will be a dramatic improvement for pedestrians in the neighborhood.

[k2h]

http://campaignmark.createsend.com/t...FD2F38AC4859C/

New Bus Shelters Offer Poets Opportunity


The Indianapolis Cultural Trail: A Legacy of Gene & Marilyn Glick announces another public art installation. “Moving Forward,” by Indianapolis-based architect Donna Sink, is a series of three custom-designed eco-friendly bus shelters that will showcase original poetry by published writers. The shelters will be located along the Indianapolis Cultural Trail on the south side of Virginia Ave. near Lexington St., McCarty St. and Woodlawn Ave.

A call for poetry begins this week and submissions are due Nov. 22, 2009. Published poets living in or with ties to Indiana are invited to submit work based on subjects such as community, neighborhoods, landmarks, shared spaces, transportation, history and the future. Poets must have published at least one poem in a print magazine or anthology prior to submitting work for “Moving Forward.” Selected poems may have been published previously.
The Writers’ Center of Indiana is administering the selection process with out of state jurors. Authors of the three selected poems will each receive a $1,000 award. Selections will be announced in March 2010. Poems will be displayed in their entirety on a stainless steel panel on the shelter. Excerpts of the poem will be embedded in ecoresin panels.

“Moving Forward” is the sixth public-art installation planned for the eight-mile Indianapolis Cultural Trail that will connect each of the downtown cultural districts with a uniquely designed pedestrian and bicycle path.

For more information about "Moving Forward" and to download the official call for poets visit www.IndyCulturalTrail.org.



ICVA promotes Cultural Trail in new video

In the latest episode of "Doing Indy," the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association (ICVA) promotes Indy's greenway trails by highlighting the Monon Trail and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail.
Click here to view the video.
You can also catch "Doing Indy" on Brighthouse Cable - "Channel 600" and Comcast VOD - "Get Local."



Construction Updates

NORTHEAST CORRIDOR - connecting North and Alabama streets to the Monon Trail at 10th St. View before and after photos and renderings of this corridor.
TRAFFIC ALERT - North St. will be one-way westbound for approximately one week beginning Sept. 14 while crews repave the roadway. Paving will also occur on New Jersey St. from North St. to Walnut St. and Walnut St. from New Jersey St. to Park Ave. over the next two to three weeks.
THIS WEEK -- Crews will be working on the following areas:
Asphalt walk on 10th St.
Pipe and structures at St. Clair St. and College Ave.
Concrete walk at Mass Ave. and Bellefontaine St.
Prep for curb on Walnut St. from East St. to Park St. and one on College Ave.
NEXT WEEK
Pour curb on Walnut St. from East St. to Park Ave.
Finish concrete walk on 10th St.
Pavement at Bellefontaine St. and Mass Ave.
Begin repaving road on North St. (traffic restricted to one-way westbound)

WEEK OF SEPT. 21
Begin repaving on New Jersey St. from North St. to Walnut St. Currently one-way northbound. No parking in this area during repaving.
North St. opens.
Concrete paver base on Walnut St. from East St. to Park Ave.
Pour curb on College Ave.
NORTH CORRIDOR - connecting North and Alabama streets to Indiana Ave.
NEXT TWO WEEKS -- Crews will be working on the following areas:
Finishing storm sewer work on at North St. and Delaware St.
Paving north side of Walnut St. between Capitol Ave. and Illinois St.
Tearing out the south side of Walnut St. in the same area.
Walnut St. currently one-way westbound between Meridian St. and Illinois St.
This week, Illinois St. to Capitol Ave. will become one-way westbound.
Tearing up sidewalk on west side of Senate Ave. at Walnut St. to bore holes for conduit.
Tearing out median on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. (MLK) at St. Clair St.
Left turn lane from northbound MLK onto St. Clair St. has been permanently eliminated.
St. Clair St. from Indiana Ave. to California remains closed for pouring concrete and repaving St. Clair St.
Once this area is finished, St. Clair St. from California St. to MLK will be closed for approximately two weeks.
Click here to view photos of the ongoing construction.
Click here to view photos of the completed Cultural Trail on Alabama St. from North St. to Market St.



Next Brown Bag Meeting: Tues., Sept. 22

Monthly brown bag meetings will resume to provide additional opportunities for construction updates. Meetings will be held 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. in the English Foundation Building, 615 N. Alabama St.

Please save the date for upcoming meetings: Sept. 22, Oct. 20, Nov. 17, Dec. 15



Neighborhood Exploration Tour (NExT), Sept. 26

The Neighborhood Exploration Tour (NExT) is a new bike tour through the heart of Indianapolis that connects you to the Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indiana State Fairgrounds, Indianapolis Art Center and Indianapolis Museum of Art. This 15 mile route along city streets, the Monon Trail and Canal Towpath is meant to encourage everyone -- adults and children, commuter and casual cyclists alike -- to explore these wonderful neighborhoods in the heart of Marion County and discover how fun and easy it can be to visit some of Indy's best arts and cultural destinations by bike.

Save the date: Sat., Sept. 26, 9:00 a.m. and complete FREE registration online.
Start from any of the destinations listed above and go exploring!

For more information, contact Anthony Bridgeman: communityevents@childrensmuseum.org or 317.334.4137.

[Wu-Gambino]

Hey, does anyone mind taking a few pics of the North Corridor? How's the progress on the Mass Ave/Monon connector? Has any new construction started on the remaining lines?

[EddieB317]

It seems like slow going on the east end of Mass. There is some progress though. There is blacktop running from the intersection of Bellefontaine and 10th to the end of the Monon along 10th. I am not sure if the connection is going to just be blacktop like the Monon, or if it will be paved with brick like the cultural trail. A lot of the curb work along 10th seems to have been poured and is possible complete. Another recent thing that I noticed was the new curb bump out in front of R-Bistro. As for progress further down Mass I have not really seen any beyond a fire hydrant that was added in the middle of the existing street where the trail will run in the future (in front of the Junglas/ Art Bank). I am around that area fairly frequently, so I'll try to snap some pics.

[cailes]

Feels like its been dragging on for a looooooong time. It hurts to look at the area of mass ave and college when driving through there. It feels like its been a big hole in the ground for months now with hardly anything going on.

By contrast, I also go down capital to get to school and when I drive past the area they are working there, it feels like they are moving equally as slow in getting this section completed. Are they working short hours, is it a shortage of resources, or is it really not moving so slow afer all? I havent seen all portions currently being worked on, but the only part that looks like its progressed to near completion is around the Riley Tower area.... and its STILL not done either.

[CorrND]

Bill Brooks, the editor of Urban Times, has a piece this month about being thankful that these sections of the Cultural Trail weren't the first to be constructed. His editorial doesn't seem to be on their webpage, so paraphrasing: the Northeast Corridor construction is such a clusterfuck that, had they built this section first, it might have taken the wind out of the sails of all parties involved. With the Alabama section already finished, though, at least everybody can look at that and see how great the trail is going to be when it's done.

I think the main error is the fact that they're trying to build the entire corridor all at the same time. Very bad idea. They should have concentrated resources and built the trail in smaller stages. That way, each area would have had brief, very bad construction issues to deal with, and then it would be all over. The way they're doing it, EVERYONE is experiencing mild construction issues over a VERY long time. That just pisses everybody off.

The North Corridor has been managed far better than the Northeast Corridor. Here's one shot of the North Corridor looking west on St. Clair from the intersection of Fayette St (from 10/26):



http://dig-b.blogspot.com/2009/10/ph...ral-trail.html

[cwilson758]

I agree, the comnstruction of this seems way outta whack. I feel that at East Street and St Claire no progress has occured in months. It looks the same. I am sure though that logistically this is difficult as they are digging up sections of the original City plat where roads and sidewalks were probably just paved over previous "paths" and sewer lines.

[cailes]

Stopped @ Walnut & East on my way to school last night and got some pictures around dusk. Enjoy

image hosted on flickr


image hosted on flickr


I tell ya what, I would love seeing this box every day coming out the front door of my house...
image hosted on flickr

[CorrND]

Originally Posted by cailes

I tell ya what, I would love seeing this box every day coming out the front door of my house...
image hosted on flickr

WOW.

What's that control box even for? Aren't those usually for police to control traffic lights?

As damn-near-perfect as the design of the East Corridor is, there have been some curiously bad design decisions on the North and Northeast Corridors.

[cailes]

The ONLY thing I can think of is that its a junction/control box for all the lights... seems like they could have made a more inconspicous way to house it though. I mean, put a hole in the ground or something. The wire/conduit is obviously there already, so why not put an access cover or something?? Im ignorant so Im sure there is some kind of code against that but damn, there has to have been a better way to do this. I just laughed and shook my head as I framed the photo...

[EddieB317]

10th Street Monon Connector











Bellefontaine and Mass Ave






College and Mass Ave

[SkywlkrSnd]

Originally Posted by EddieB317

LMAO!
Ah, that's priceless.

[socrates#1fan]

More! Build more!

They should really turn more sidewalks downtown into something like this!

[cailes]

As long as they dont take this long to do it...

[cwilson758]

I really hope that once this gets completed at the north end of Mass Ave that the new market-rate apartment project gets going and we finally start to see the life get pumped into that section of Mass Ave