(EVANSVILLE, IN) – October 18, 2010 – Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel held a ribbon cutting ceremony this afternoon to officially open Phase 5 of the Pigeon Creek Greenway Passage Industrial Corridor. The ribbon cutting ceremony, which took place near the intersection of Uhlhorn and Grove streets, was attended by representatives of the Evansville Department of Parks and Recreation, Evansville Board of Park Commissioners, Greenway Advisory Board, Cedar Hall Association for Improvement of the Neighborhood (CHAIN), and other area neighbors. Industrial Corridor Phase 5 extends 0.81 miles from Dresden Street to Kratzville Road, creating a three-mile continuous stretch of Greenway Passage from Dresden Street to the Heidelbach Canoe Launch. Combined with the Riverfront Corridor, this brings the total mileage of completed Greenway to 5.5 miles.
“The City of Evansville is committed to cultivating an environment in which businesses and
people thrive, and continuing our aggressive efforts to extend the Pigeon Creek Greenway
Passage does just that,†said Mayor Weinzapfel. “Facilities like this don’t ‘just’ provide a safe
route for residents to walk or cycle. They are also proven to help communities attract and grow
businesses that provide good paying jobs, lessen negative impacts of vehicle traffic on the
environment, promote a healthy lifestyle, and enhance the community’s overall quality of life.â€
Contracts on Industrial Corridor Phase 5 were awarded to Bernardin Lochmueller & Associates
(design and engineering), United Consulting (construction oversight), and Blankenberger
Brothers, Inc. (construction). The total cost of Industrial Corridor Phase 5 was estimated to be $1,554,606, with $1,356,631 covered by Federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds and Transportation Community Service Program (TCSP) Grant funds; and $187,975 covered by local riverboat funds. Though
not all final costs are in, the project is expected to come in under budget. The project has also been completed ahead of schedule. When bids were opened on September10, 2009, construction was forecast to be completed in December 2010. This is the fourth section of the Greenway Passage to be completed since Mayor Weinzapfel took office: the Riverfront Corridor was completed in 2004, Industrial Corridor Phase 1 was
completed in 2007, and Industrial Corridor Phase 6 was completed in 2009. Construction on Industrial Corridor Phase 2, from Franklin Street to Maryland Street, is anticipated to be complete in June 2011. After Phase 2 is complete, only 0.75 miles will remain to “close the gap†between Phase 2 and Phase 5 and create a continuous 6.75-mile trail from Sunrise Park to the Heidelbach Canoe Launch.
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