The New Mile and Where It Runs
The White River Expansion adds a mile of trail from the corner of South Street and Capitol Street west to Kentucky Avenue and Henry Street. The route crosses the White River on the Greenlawn Memorial Bridge. Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc. announced the segment on 9 May 2023.
As of May 2023 the expansion carried more than $49.7 million in committed funding. Lilly Endowment committed $20 million, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation $18.2 million, the City of Indianapolis $5 million for Indiana Avenue and South Street and $3 million for the White River Expansion, the Indianapolis Neighborhood Infrastructure Partnership $1.5 million, Elevance Health Foundation $1 million and the Eli Lilly Foundation $1 million.
The trail runs 10 miles and connects six downtown cultural districts. They are Indiana Avenue, White River State Park and the Canal, Mass Ave, Market East, the Wholesale District and Fountain Square.
The Contract and the Opening Window
The Department of Public Works posted the work as RFP-14DPW-1802 on 8 May 2026 and closed bids on 5 June 2026. A pre-proposal conference ran on 19 May 2026.
The Board of Public Works awarded a public-private partnership agreement under IC 5-23 to C.H. Garmong & Son on 12 August 2026 for construction of Project GT-31-002 from Kentucky Avenue to South Street. The scope covers a new trail section, stormwater management, pavement reconstruction and pedestrian facilities. The construction estimate at 60 per cent plans was about $15 million.
The river crossing sets the date. The city designated the span the Greenlawn Memorial Bridge on 22 July 2026. The bridge carries two travel lanes and the trail, and the city expects it to open in early 2027.
A Half-Day Plan
Start at South Street and Capitol Avenue, where the Wholesale District meets the river. Lucas Oil Stadium and the Indiana Convention Center at 100 South Capitol Avenue sit on that block. Head west along Kentucky Avenue to Henry Street, then cross the new bridge.
The far end is White River State Park at 801 West Washington Street. The park holds seven attractions across 250 acres and draws more than 4 million visitors a year. The seven are the Indianapolis Zoo, the NCAA Hall of Champions, the Eiteljorg Museum, the Indiana State Museum with its IMAX theater, Victory Field and the Everwise Amphitheater. The park opens daily from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Wheel Fun Rentals leases bikes, pedal boats and kayaks inside it.
The expansion also ties the trail to the Elanco global headquarters campus and the Indy Eleven campus on the west bank.
Straight-line distances from the convention center, computed from OpenStreetMap coordinates, run 308 m to The Westin Indianapolis, 792 m to the NCAA Hall of Champions, 1,138 m to White River State Park, 1,428 m to the Indianapolis Zoo and 1,432 m to the Biltwell Event Center.
Free Group Rides With Published Dates
Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc. runs free group rides on Saturdays from May through September, and registration is required for each one. No Spandex Required rides leave trail headquarters at 132 West Walnut Street every Saturday at 1 p.m. for a beginner-friendly loop of 2 to 2.5 hours with one beverage stop.
Roast Rides, run with the Indianapolis Coffee Guide, leave at 10 a.m. on 9 May, 14 June, 11 July, 8 August and 12 September. Blooms & Bikes rides leave at 10 a.m. on 6 June, 1 and 22 August and 6 September with horticulture stops. Bikes and Bakeries rides leave at 10 a.m. on 30 May, 27 June, 25 July, 29 August and 26 September with one bakery stop.
The organiser supplies a limited number of Pacers Bikeshare bikes, and riders can bring their own. Private bike tours are available for groups.
Other Stops on the Network
The Downtown Canal runs from 11th Street to White River State Park and stays open 24 hours a day with quiet hours from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. It holds the USS Indianapolis and Medal of Honor memorials. Lugar Plaza is a 2-acre civic plaza in the Market East district, free and open 24 hours a day.
The trail's gardens cover 5 acres of beds and 25,000 square feet of rain gardens. The planting added 525 trees to the downtown landscape.
What to Confirm Before You Book
The published hotel inventory sits downtown, so plan the west bank as a day leg that returns across the bridge. The city has set no opening day inside early 2027. Ask Indianapolis Cultural Trail Inc. on 317-653-1948 for the private ride terms and the expansion schedule, and the Department of Public Works for the construction calendar.