Veterans Memorial Trail opens in Crown Point

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the city of Crown Point celebrated the completion of the Veterans Memorial Trail today.

The 1.7-mile asphalt multi-use trail was constructed by the city of Crown Point in two phases, with help from a $2,984,252 grant administered by the DNR.

"Trails are all about making connections between people, communities, and Indiana's great outdoors," said Allen Hurst, DNR trails manager. "DNR is proud to support the completion of the Veterans Memorial Trail in Crown Point just days after Veterans Day. It adds to the increasing number of trails we now have across Indiana."

Crown Point broke ground on the project's northern section in April earlier this year. The 1-mile expansion follows the old Pennsylvania Railroad in Crown Point going through the Bridgeport neighborhood, connecting to the Erie Lackawanna Trail on Summit Street. Together with the southern section that was finished in 2022, nearly 2 miles of paved trail is now open to the public.

"We know everyone is excited to see more connectivity on our bike trail. No matter the season, cyclists, walkers and runners are using our trails," Crown Point Mayor Pete Land said. "We hope this expansion will mark the beginning of further connectivity in our region."

In addition to the expanded trail, Crown Point, in collaboration with the Indiana Department of Transportation, also completed intersection improvements at Main and Summit streets and at Indiana and North streets, which included pedestrian signals at new crosswalks. The city also constructed a 26-stall parking lot near the new trail.

"When I started working with the city, the team was working on bringing the Erie Lackawanna Trail to Crown Point. It is exciting to see all the connectivity we have been able to provide to our residents and visitors. We look forward to continued bike trail connectivity in Crown Point," said Jennie Burgess, the city's parks director.

DNR has led the largest infusion of trails funding in state history, with $180 million in dedicated trail funding administered through DNR that facilitates critical trail connections within and between Hoosier communities. A total of 57 of the 89 projects are complete, with another 14 under construction. With this opening, more than 165 miles of trail have been built since the program's inception.