Indy Greenways for All Strategic Implementation Plan Indianapolis, Indiana
Role
Urban Design / Planning / Public Realm Strategy
People Involved
Andrew Overbeck, Aaron Kowalski, Donny Donoghue, Eric Lucas, Katie Clark, Yahan You, Tori Luckenbach, Ben Kern, Carley Lemmon
Typology
Public Park, Trail, Design Guidelines, City Infrastructure, Master Plan
Project Timeline
2025 - Ongoing
Collaborators
Policy Analytics, IEI, Taft
A strategic implementation plan for the City of Indianapolis that establishes a clear vision for expanding and improving Indy’s greenway system.
The Indy Greenways for All Strategic Implementation Plan represents one of the most ambitious efforts in Indianapolis' history to strengthen its position as one of the nation's premier trail communities. Building upon the success of the 2014 Full Circle Plan, which envisioned 140 miles of new greenways, the strategy advances a bold vision to expand the city's network from approximately 120 miles today to more than 380 miles of interconnected greenways. By connecting neighborhoods, parks, waterways, employment centers, and destinations across Marion County, the plan provides a comprehensive implementation strategy to accelerate trail development, improve access and equity, and create a world-class network that supports mobility, recreation, economic development, and quality of life.
The Greenways for All Strategic Implementation Plan lays out a clear vision for expanding and improving Indy’s greenway system so more people can access high quality trails. Built on data analysis and community input, the plan proposes a future where over 80% of Marion County residents live within a mile of a greenway.
The plan is organized into six parts that outline how the city will map the network, design safe and consistent trails, build the highest priority segments, improve places along each route, maintain the system over time, and establish sustainable funding.
The plan uses core values such as improving transportation, supporting equity, protecting the environment, and promoting growth to guide decisions and highlight priorities like closing gaps in the network, connecting neighborhoods, and opening new opportunities for development.
Altogether, the Greenways for All Strategic Implementation Plan provides a coordinated strategy to grow a connected, equitable, and beloved greenway system faster and more effectivity than ever before.
"The Indy Greenways project represents much more than a network of trails. It is an investment in connectivity, health, and quality of life that will strengthen the relationship between people, neighborhoods, and the natural environment. By linking communities to parks, waterways, employment centers, and cultural destinations, we are creating a more accessible, resilient, and equitable future for Indianapolis—one that celebrates the region's landscape while enhancing everyday life for residents and visitors alike."
- Andrew Overbeck, AICP, MKSK Principal and Practice Leader
Thousands of residents, community leaders, and experts helped to shape the Greenways for All Plan.
Spanning 18 months from Fall of 2024 to Summer of 2026, the City of Indianapolis and Greenways for All team met with communities and stakeholders from across Marion County to workshop ideas and understand the values that would guide the recommendations and priorities of the plan.
Through the Greenways for All engagement process, five core values were developed, shaped, and prioritized by the community and stakeholders. These values informed every aspect of the Greenways for All Plan, from data analysis to the location of new proposed greenways to priorities for implementation.
The Indy Greenways network weaves through a wide range of natural and built environments across Marion County. Greenways follow many types of corridors including parks, waterways, levees, rail lines, easements, streets, and utility corridors. Routes like Fall Creek and Eagle Creek offer a very different experience than more urban greenways like the Interurban or Pennsy Trails, and that variety is what makes the system unique.
Each greenway is shaped by its context, including dedicated right-of-way width, surrounding land uses, traffic, utilities, topography, rail lines, and environmental factors. Many proposed routes also align with future land use and development opportunities, creating potential for new “Greenway Places.” Across all these different environments, each greenway has a consistent experience unique to an Indy Greenway.
The vision of operations and maintenance is to set a standard of Greenway experience that is inviting, comfortable, and safe.
As the network grows, so does the responsibility of the maintenance operations. More miles of Greenway spread across a broader geography and more trail users inherently require more coordination, staffing, equipment, and funding.
Indy Greenways operational policies support healthy, active communities by shaping the ways in which residents of Indianapolis can use, engage with, and benefit from greenways.
Operations & Maintenance Objectives:
Safety and wellbeing of greenway users above all else.
A world-class level of service for the everyday condition of trails and greenways that provide a safe and inviting experience for all users.
A scalable framework for growth that aligns the projected network expansion, operating structure, staffing, and maintenance funding to ensure a consistent level of service.
Clearly defined roles and responsibilities, the geographic extents, assets, and expectations for greenways maintenance.
As one of the Midwest’s most trail-centric cities, Indianapolis is positioned to lead nationally in greenway-based infrastructure and public realm transformation. This plan ensures that greenways are more than linear parks—they are essential civic assets that shape mobility, resilience, and inclusive community development.
