A greenway from Victory Field, the minor league baseball home of the Indianapolis Indians, to the Indianapolis Airport, 13 miles away, would become the most important Greenway in the world. In making the top rated airport in North America accessible to bike  travelers, the old National Road, which crossed the White River in 1834, now West Washington Street, would boom once again! The retail establishments along its way would burgeon!

Easier to build than the downtown Cultural Trail, such a connection will once again require boldness. At present, Washington Street is a four-lane, pothole ridden arterial with a turn lane in the middle. Since IndyGo will be using the center lane of travel for their Blue Line bus rapid transit system, many car trips on Washington St will be eliminated. 

Increasing the carrying capacity of the road in this way will make it possible to replace one lane of car travel with protected bike lanes on both sides of the road. The traffic calming that will result (a known effect of placing humans in the eyes of motorists) will raise the profile of the merchants along the way. Add landscaping and motorists and bike users will both look forward to using what will become a peaceful road that even sees people walking its sidewalks. 

Putting three different modes of travel on the old National Road, will place Indianapolis at the cutting edge of transportation once again. Bringing bike visitors to the top Downtown Greenway in the world from the top-rated airport in North America, will be a siren call audible to cyclists all over the planet. What could make a more powerful statement in this regard? 

Even before the bus people begin actual construction of the Blue Line, what we propose above can begin now! Where this connection leaves from Victory Field, it can start as an easily built contra flow bike lane on the wide swooping part of Washington St. where it crosses over the White River opposite the Zoo. Here the sidewalk can be improved as well as widened where foliage and lawns block the view of the railroad behind them. 

Almost as soon as West Washington heads west after it crosses under the rail bridge, it reaches Harding St. Here on the corner is the huge IndyGo bus system headquarters and maintenance yard. Since there is no center turn lane (for four blocks) here, some of the bus property could be used for a contra flow bike lane. 

When it next reaches the massive Carter Lumber complex, this little used block and a half could make use of the sidewalk until it reaches ReichWein St (?). Here a left for a block, followed by a right will take the traveler through quiet neighborhood streets for three blocks to Belmont St.

Here using an alley that runs behind a Mexican restaurant and other businesses for a block, they will reach Washington High School which was built in 1927. Here they will get back on Washington St and enjoy bike lanes all the way to the airport.  

• 

  White River State Park rail bridge looking downtown

  

  

  

  

  

  White River

  

  Last leg to Victory Field

  

  Victory Field

  

  

  Rail Track behind the bushes

  

  IndyGo bus yard

  

  

  Headed west from IndyGo

  

  Note the middle turn lane