Monon High Bridge Trail set for dedication
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Indiana Landmarks and local officials will officially dedicate Delphi’s newest trail Wednesday afternoon.
What was a historic rail corridor and longtime unofficial pedestrian bridge has now been preserved, repaired and opened for the community to safely use.
The Monon High Bridge Trail was transformed using a $1.25 million grant from the state’s Next Level Trails program.
“This stunning trail connects heritage sites such as the Centennial and Bicentennial monuments with the repurposed Freedom Bridge over SR 25 to the Veterans Memorial Plaza with its massive Monon train engine etched in granite, then onward to the iconic High Bridge overlooking Deer Creek,” Delphi Mayor Anita Werling said in a news release.
The Indiana Department of Natural Resources granted the money to develop the bridge to be an ADA-compliant pedestrian and biking trail from the east edge of the city to the bridge. The organizations had to repair severely damaged parts of the bridge and stabilize it. A new trailhead, parking area, lighting, trail cameras and information kiosks were also installed with the funds. North Central Health Services also gave $248,000 to build decking and railing along the west quarter of the bridge.
Funding also came from CSX, Deer Creek Township, the Efroymson Family Fund of the Central Indiana Community Foundation and the Indiana Trails Fund.
The bridge was built in 1891 and used as a railway until CSX Transportation vacated it in the 1980s. About a decade later, the community floated the idea of making it a community trail but gained no momentum.
In 2012, Indiana Landmarks and local partners Heartland Heritage, Inc. and Delphi Preservation Society contacted and negotiated with CSX about acquiring the property. The bridge and about a half mile of approach were handed over.