Ray Irvin

Ray Irvin, the man who led the charge that transformed Indianapolis from a dying Rust Belt city into the Greenway Capital of the World, has agreed to mark the National Bicycle Greenway route from Indy to Chicago! For the purposes of cycling, in 2015, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) approved a mix of bike paths and bypassed US highways for the Indiana Dept. of Transportation and Adventure Cycling. Called USBR 35, it runs from the top to the bottom of the State. Visit Indy, the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Bureau, had begun to promote it as a way to bike to the Windy City when COVID-19 hit. 

In making this the start of the National Bicycle Greenway, following the example set by the Lincoln Hwy, the word’s first coast to coast highway that was begun in Indianapolis, every 10 miles will be noted by the post you see here at the right. A huge undertaking this will require innumerable approvals from all the various stakeholders and communities through which this right of way passes. Nor does this faze Ray Irvin. He was building greenways all across the state of Indiana, when the man he worked for, the Governor of the State, Mitch Daniels, termed out of office. 

Ray is aware that the NBG route has to be marked before we can flesh it out in the cities with protected and/or separated bike lanes, bike friendly curb cuts, road striping, etc. Having our route signed will also help us on the back roads in establishing bicycle rest areas that include drinking fountains, kiosks and benches as well as in the various areas that will need bike tunnels and overpasses, etc. In showing why the markers are a crucial first step, Ray and his team will also communicate how they fit into our vision of connectivity, economic development, health and fitness, quality of life and how we will, in time, be connecting this alignment to historic sites and destinations for recreation, education, wildlife and adventure as well as internet and infrastructure possibilities. 

Click on the USBR 35 map  at the left to start exploring the bicycle route from Indianapolis to the greater Chicago metro. From LaPorte, IN to Chicago City Hall, the distance is  75 miles per  THIS LINK.

Along the way there is  a plethora of bike trails and Greenways including –

Now it’s off to getting the King of Greenways first task paid for!!