Gov. Holcomb Announces $65M in Trails Grants; Noblesville, Sheridan and Fishers Receive Over $12M

Several Hamilton County trails will see major investments from the Next Level Trails program grants, announced yesterday by Gov. Eric Holcomb and Ind. Dept. of Natural Resources Dan Bortner.

The trails in Hamilton County to see development are part of the Nickel Plate and Monon Trails. The City of Noblesville received a $3.13M grant to develop 2.7 new miles of the Nickel Plate Trail. The City of Fishers received a separate grant worth $4,533,338 to develop 1.3 new miles of the trail. The Fishers portion co-terminates with a separate $5M grant that the City of Indianapolis received to develop 10.3 new miles of the Nickel Plate trail on the northern edge of Marian County. In total, the Nickel Plate trail will see 14.3 new miles of trail from a total of $12,663,388 in grants.

Meanwhile, the Town of Sheridan received a grant worth $2,089,580 to extend the Monon Trail. Currently, the trail ends south of Sheridan at state Route 47. The project will add 1.85 miles of trail, running along an abandoned rail corridor and ending at the Hamilton and Boone County border along county Road 1200 E.

Gov. Holcomb and Director Bortner announced that 38 communities and non-profit organizations will receive a combined $65 million for 77 miles of new trail development as a part of the third round of the Next Level Trails program. With matching funds from applicants, this round is expected to generate total investment of more than $102 million.

“Trails connect communities together in such a personal way and are perfect pathways to good mental and physical well-being,” Gov. Holcomb said. “These continued quality-of-life investments will reap generational economic and tourism development dividends and further showcase Indiana’s incredible outdoor experiences.”

A $150 million grant program, Next Level Trails is the largest infusion of trails funding in state history. In rounds one and two, a total of $55 million was awarded to 35 communities. To date, $120 million has been awarded to build 190 miles of trails throughout Indiana. Ninety-four percent of Hoosiers live within five miles of a trail.

Smaller local projects in Jasper, Middlebury, Shelbyville, and Huntington are among the many other trails selected to receive grants.

“The DNR listens to the recreational and outdoor needs of Hoosiers,” Bortner said. “We are excited to expand our partnerships with local governments and non-profits to bring these important connections and amenities to communities across Indiana.”

The grants awarded in the third round include 17 regional projects and 21 local projects. The list of awards, project descriptions, and a map are posted at on.IN.gov/NLT-round-3.

The third-round grant recipients are contributing $37.4 million in matching value, resulting in a $102.4 million total investment in trails. The program requires a minimum 20 percent project match, which can include monetary contributions, land value, and in-kind donations of materials and labor.

Next Level Trails is part of Gov. Holcomb’s $1 billion Next Level Connections infrastructure program, which accelerates the completion of major highway projects, expands access to rural broadband services, and pursues the expansion of rail projects in northwest Indiana. The initial program received funds totaling $90 million; $60 million more was appropriated in the current biennial budget to bring the Next Level Trails investment to $150 million.

Progress on all Next Level Trails projects can be found here.

Next Level Trails objectives and more information in the grants program is at on.IN.gov/nextleveltrails.