Welcome to the official B&O Trail website! I hope you find the features easy to use and to access. Supporters are able to contribute through the site, view our TrailTalk newsletters, become a member or volunteer, and contact myself or other Board Members via email. We also maintain a calendar function so you can always know what’s going on with our events. You will find access to some of our recent event photos, timely news and development information plus a map of our developed trail. Please let us know how we can improve the site to better serve your needs as a B&O Trail supporter!
Back in the “real” world, our organization and trail made some great strides in the past few years. Back in 2009 we saw the first 1000 feet of paved trail laid down just west of the Hendricks/Marion County line. Later that same year, we finally acquired 16 miles of railroad corridor from CSX Transportation, almost all the property in Hendricks County. In 2010 and 2011, we saw construction of another 3 miles of paved trail between Brownsburg and the existing pavement. In 2013, the Brownsburg Rotary Club funded construction of our first shelter at the trailhead on Green Street (formerly SR 267). Our most recent construction project of westward expansion from Green Street out past CR 575 East and all the way to CR 500 East began in 2016 and finished in 2017. Brownsburg also finished construction of the gap in between our two paved sections in 2017 giving us 6.25 miles of paved trail.
In 2019, Speedway Trails Association, along with significant matching pledges from the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF), was awarded a $4.8 million grant from the Next Level Trails program during Round 1 which is administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Work is nearly completed east of the Town of Speedway in Marion County to build the B&O Trail from Speedway eastward to Michigan Street. The section across Eagle Creek westward from the Town of Speedway all the way to High School Road was constructed in 2022. More will be constructed in 2024. In 2021, the Governor announced that the B&O Trail Association had received a $4.5 million grant in Round 2. CICF is also providing a major pledge of funding on the Marion County portion of this grant. Hopefully in 2023 & 2024, in coordination with the Speedway Trails project, BOTA can begin construction of the Marion County section of the B&O Trail from Raceway Road eastward to Girls School Road. Simultaneous to that, BOTA is already expanding the current paved trail in Hendricks County westward from CR 500E all the way out to CR 250E on the areas of the old railroad corridor currently owned by BOTA. This westward expansion includes an adjacent equestrian trail.
As always, financial support from folks like you helps to keep the "train on the tracks" and makes these trail projects possible!
We hold an annual bicycle event each year in June. We hope to see you at our 31st Annual B&O Bicycle Tour Sponsored by Hendricks Regional Health on Saturday, June 10, 2023! Later in 2023 we will hold a smaller bike tour out in North Salem on Monday, September 4th (Labor Day) and a 4-mile walk/run event on the trail on Saturday, September 30th called "Blaze the B&O" presented by IU Health West. These events are a critical part of our fundraising efforts and that of our partners. Check our calendar for the very latest schedule of all our events and get registered today.
Additionally, your volunteer assistance is needed not only in organizing and carrying out these fundraising events, but also with other committee efforts, such as public relations, marketing, grant writing and other fundraising efforts. We will post many opportunities on our website in the coming months. (And check us out over on Facebook.) We hope you will continue to support our efforts in any way you can. Thank you for your past support, and I hope to see you on the trail!
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., President
B&O Trail Association Inc.