The Greendale to Lawrenceburg connector trail is the first segment of a master planned trail system that directly joins the Indiana cities via a pedestrian and bike path. It will eventually link, after additional segments are added, to greater regional trails along the Ohio River and the Indiana State Visionary Trail Plan systems.

This Greendale Trail segment was prioritized because it connects two outdoor athletic complexes currently separated by an industrial park. Both Greendale and Lawrenceburg use these athletic complexes since they share a school district and have combined K-12 athletic events.

Once, only accessible by vehicle, parents and children frequently need to switch between complexes for after-school and weekend activities. The lack of alternatives made school-aged children dependent on car rides—increasing safety concerns and restricting healthier and more-efficient walking and cycling transportation options.

The trail will be ADA-compliant with a majority of this segment featuring a 12-foot-wide paved asphalt path dedicated to pedestrian and cycling transportation modes. There will also be a boardwalk section for the ridge descent connecting Greendale’s residential neighborhoods to the outdoor sports complexes. 

More than 10,000 Indiana residents in the City of Greendale and the City of Lawrenceburg will greatly benefit from the trail as it connects both sections in a critically-shared and prioritized area.

ms aided the city in procuring an Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Regional Trails Program grant. ms wrote the grant application using gathered information and verbal input provided by the City of Greendale, as well as other resources.

ms also coordinated the gathering and application placement of additional information as provided by the City of Greendale including certification of funds, public participation backing documents and report, location map, sitemap, and photographs.

ms’ in-house team conducted field studies, prepared technical reports, and completed the INDOT Categorical Exclusion required to gain approval for the project. Critical path items included wetlands delineation, management of the archaeological specialists, and coordination with the INDOT district reviewers.