Nickel Plate Trail going after $5M grant to build new pathway

Carson Gerber, Kokomo Tribune, Ind.
·2 min read

Oct. 20—PERU — The Nickel Plate Trail is asking for the community's help to secure a $5 million state grant to build a paved path from Converse to the Grissom Air Museum that would connect to other trails in the state.

Mike Kuepper, president of the Nickel Plate Trail organization, said the nonprofit is applying for funding from the state's Next Level Trails program, which is providing $90 million toward Indiana's trails systems.

The program marks the largest infusion of trail funding in the state's history. So far, it has awarded $54.3 million in funding for more than 112 miles of trail throughout Indiana.

Now, Kuepper said, they hope to receive some of the funding to finish the 19-mile paved pathway connecting Grissom to Converse.

The new route is being dubbed the Mac Trail and will follow an old Pennsylvania Railroad line that runs through the towns of Bunker Hill, McGrawsville and Amboy before hitting Converse.

At the same time, the pathway would fill in a major gap on the Great American Rail Trail, which will run from Washington, D.C., to the Pacific Ocean in Washington state.

Kuepper said the group has spent around six years acquiring roughly 70% of all the property along the route. Parts of it have already started to be cleared.

Now, he's asking for the community's help to secure the grant, which requires the nonprofit volunteer group to secure $1.25 million in matching funds.

Kuepper said they will likely be able to apply $1 million toward the 20% match through in-kind donations of materials, equipment and labor, as well as previous expenses or donations related to the project, which are all allowed by the grant.

That leaves the group to raise around $250,000 to have the matching funds secured before applying for the money. Kuepper said they will soon allow people to donate to the project on their website at www.nickelplatetrail.org.

Kuepper said a consultant and engineer have both volunteered to help put the grant application together.

He said that if they are awarded the grant, it should be enough to fully fund the new trail, which would be an economic boon for Converse, the Grissom museum and the entire region.

"What I think we've accomplished so far is pretty much amazing," Kuepper said. "If you look everywhere else, it's cities and counties with budgets and money building trails. We're just a group of avid bicyclists and joggers who want to make our community better."

Next Level Trails is part of Gov. Holcomb's $1 billion Next Level Connections infrastructure program, which accelerates the completion of major highway projects, expands access to rural broadband services and pursues the expansion of rail projects in northwest Indiana.

Carson Gerber can be reached at 765-854-6739, carson.gerber@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter @carsongerber1.