Autumn is upon us! Public Meetings and Swarm Street!

E Pluribus Unum

October saw multiple public meetings regarding E Pluribus Unum by Fred Wilson on the 8th, 11th, and 13th. Discussion was productive and many members of the community were able to speak their minds. While all the meetings regarding this artwork are over, please remember that you can continue to post your comments online at www.fredwilsonindy.org!

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On twitter, @INCulturalTrail.

Send us your pictures!

We want any shots you’ve got of the Trail—silly Halloween pics, a nice afternoon stroll with your pet lion, anything fit for public consumption! Send them to photos@indyculturaltrail.org and we’ll put them up on the website. Don’t forget to name the photographer so we can give credit where credit is due.

Come volunteer on the Trail

Want to give some of your extra time to the Trail? Let us know and we’ll set you up!

Swarm Street

Our wonderful construction teams are making steady progress on the installation of Acconci’s Swarm Street on Virginia Avenue. Don’t climb under the construction tape, but do stop and take a look—the purple light and general feeling of near-completion is infectious, we guarantee. The overhead lighting structures will be installed in the next few weeks, and the whole section has gone from wires and dust to actually looking like some pretty cool art!

Construction Update and Traffic Restrictions

Central Corridor

From Alabama St. to West St. on the north side of Washington St.  See map.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES:
--Alabama to Delaware: Trail paver installation is complete.  Trail lights are installed, but not yet functional.
--Delaware to Pennsylvania:  Trail paver installation is nearly complete.  We are waiting on trench drain components to be delivered.  Trail lights are installed, but not turned on yet.
--Pennsylvania to Meridian:  Trail paver installation is nearly complete.  We are waiting on trench drain components to be delivered. 
--Meridian to Illinois:  Trail paver installation is nearly complete.  We are waiting on trench drain components to be delivered. Restoration of the snow melt system along Meridian in front of 2 North Meridian will take place over the next couple of weeks.  This work will necessitate closing the sidewalk from the corner to the building entrance; we will post a pedestrian detour.
--Illinois to Capitol: Work is currently concentrated in this block.  Underground facilities are complete, curb and concrete paver base is being placed.  We had to redesign the Embassy Suites driveway to avoid impacting existing building vaults.  The construction of the new design will necessitate some closure time for the sidewalk at the driveway.  Cars going to the hotel entrance will use a temporary driveway that crosses the sidewalk to the east of the existing drive.  The current plan has pavers installed by Thanksgiving.
-- Capitol to West:  This work will begin in Spring 2012, after the Super Bowl.
--Pennsylvania to Illinois:  This area will be resurfaced as part of the Rebuild Indy Program.  The work will occur this week at night.

TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS:
--Washington Street has been resurfaced from Alabama to Pennsylvania and has some lane space restored.  There are currently three through lanes between Alabama and Delaware, with a right turn lane at Delaware.  There are currently two lanes open between Delaware and the parking garage entrance with a turn lane to enter the garage, Washington Street from Pennsylvania to Illinois generally has two westbound through lanes, with left turn lanes at some of the intersections and two right turn lanes at Illinois.
--The north-south streets crossing Washington generally have closed curb lanes at the intersections.
--Scioto Street, the alley entrance to the Symphony, is currently closed.

Anticipated completion dates:  Washington Street should be restored for full width travel lane use by Thankgiving.  Parking lanes, sidewalks, and Trail will generally be available for full use by Thanksgiving, but there will be some periods of closure for localized construction activity.  Hardscape from Alabama to Capitol should be complete by the end of the year.

On-site construction manager: Greg Broz, (317) 383-1196, gbroz@rwa.com

Southeast Corridor

From Washington St. and Pennsylvania St. to Shelby and Prospect streets on Virginia Ave. See map.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES:
--Paving operations from the Interstate to Prospect will continue this week.  Paving from Pennsylvania to East will start within the next week. --Virginia from Penn to Delaware:  Concrete paver base has been placed in most of the block and work continues.  Concrete for the driveway has been placed, but the drive is not open yet.  Asphalt setting bed placement has started south of the 500 Festival Building and paver installation will begin in the next week.  Waterproofing at Allen Plaza will occur this week.  Plaza pavers have been installed on the southwest corner of Maryland and Delaware.  Portions of the existing street will be removed and repaved this week and next.
--Virginia under the garage and CSX: Pavers are currently being placed for the "Swarm Street" project by Acconci Studio. Overhead steel structure components are being fabricated and installation should begin next week. 
--Virginia from CSX to New Jersey:  Pavers have been placed throughout this area.  Lighting and signal work is ongoing.  Landscape plantings have been installed.
--South Street:  Pavers have been placed throughout this area.  Lighting and signal work is ongoing.  
--Landscaping from Washington to East:  Topsoil placement, planting, and irrigation installation is ongoing. .
--Virginia from East to the Interstate: This area will be built in 2012.  It has become clear from the construction delays north and south of this area that we could not finish this area before the end on the year.  The impacts of having the construction site open and traffic restricted over the winter helped drive the decision to delay the start of construction to Spring 2012.
--Virginia from the Interstate to Prospect:  Concrete paver base installation is ongoing between Woodlawn and the alley to the north, and north of Leonard.  Pavers are mostly in place from Prospect to Woodlawn, and from Buchanan to Leonard;, they should be finished this week.  Paver installation from Woodlawn to Buchanan and north of Leonard will follow the concrete paver base. Lighting and signal work is ongoing.

TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS:
--Virginia Avenue from Pennsylvania to Alabama is currently one-way north
--Virginia Avenue from Maryland to Louisiana has only one southbound lane, the curb lane is closed.
--New Jersey Street from Virginia to South is open for two-way traffic.
--South Street from New Jersey to East has the eastbound curb lane closed.
--East Street, just south of South Street, has the southbound curb lane closed.
--Virginia Avenue from the Interstate bridge to Prospect is narrowed to two lanes. It will remain two-way traffic. There are some constrictions on the cross streets at the intersections with Virginia.   

Anticipated completion dates: Virginia Avenue, New Jersey Street, and South Street should be restored for full width travel lane use by Thanksgiving.  Parking lanes, sidewalks, and Trail will generally be available for full use by Thanksgiving, but there will be some periods of closure for localized construction activity.  Hardscape of areas between Washington and East Streets, and between the Interstate and Prospect Street should be complete in December 2011.  Hardscape of the area between East Street and the Interstate and all landscaping should be complete by Fall 2012.

On-site construction manager: Brian Andres, (317) 407-3760, bandres@rwa.com

West Corridor

From Indiana Ave. to White River State Park on the east side of Blackford Ave.  See map.

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES:
--Indiana Ave. to New York St.:  Pavers and lighting have been installed everywhere.  Grading work along the Trail is underway between Michigan and Vermont Streets. Pavers will be installed south of Michigan by the end of the week.  There will be some earth moving to restore the grassy areas, followed by sod placement.  Bright green Trail crosswalks have been installed across Indiana Avenue, Michigan Street and New York Street; there will also be one at North Street. 
--Military Park:  This section is open and mostly complete.
--White River State Park: Work is ongoing between the Canal and the State Museum loading docks.  Paver installation is nearly complete, and should be finished this week.  Work along Washington Street is ongoing.  Concrete paver base is mostly in place, and paver installation has started.  Construction of the driveway to the museums is ongoing, and is being done in portions to maintain access to the museums. Foundation work for a bus stop shelter on Washington will begin in the next two weeks.

TRAFFIC RESTRICTIONS:
-- Blackford Street has been reopened to pre-construction traffic patterns.  There will be short term restrictions for specific construction operations, but personnel to direct traffic will be provided. There will be restrictions at the State Museum loading dock due to paver installation.
--The northernmost lane on Washington Street will be closed during construction along Washington

Anticipated completion dates: Indiana Ave. to New York St. -- hardscape will be complete in mid-November 2011. New York St. to Canal and White River State Park -- hardscape was completed August 31. All other hardscape installation is scheduled to be completed by mid-December. Landscaping is scheduled to be complete by mid-May 2012.

On-site construction manager: Samer Butros, (317) 407-5543, sbutros@rwa.com