Geist Greenway trail opens, covered bridge will follow
A new walking and biking trail is open on the east side of Fishers and now awaits only its historic finishing touch, a restored covered bridge.
The $4.2 million Geist Greenway reaches from 104th Street to 126th Street east of Olio Road. Still-unfunded plans call for extensions to 131st Street to the north, linking with the Saxony development, to 96th Street to the south, a distance of 5 miles.
The architectural centerpiece of the trail, the Bell Ford Bridge, will be finished next summer at 104th Street and Florida Road over Fall Creek, said Fishers spokeswoman Ashley Elrod.
The bridge is being rebuilt for $3.7 million after it collapsed into the White River in Seymour 18 years ago. Jackson County gave the bridge to Hamilton County in 2019.
Hamilton County Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt said the 160-foot bridge is already being installed and “it looks awesome.”
He said he expects it to become a tourist attraction because it is the last remaining covered bridge in the United States with a combination timber and wrought iron truss, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
“This is unique, something you can’t see anymore,” Heirbrandt said.
The trail increases the city’s greenway system to 131 miles, anchored by the 4.5-mile Nickel Plate Trail along the old railroad tracks that go through downtown. Last week, Fishers announced final design plans for a trail at the planned White River Park near 96th Street and Allisonville Road. The looping trail will be 2.5 miles and connect to Fishers Heritage Park at 106th and Allisonville. At Heritage Park, users can get to an $11 million pedestrian bridge under construction over the White River at 106th Street that connects to Carmel’s Hazell Landing Park.
Call IndyStar reporter John Tuohy at 317-444-6418 or email him at john.tuohy@indystar.com. Follow him on Facebook and X/Twitter.