Town of Avon Makes Improvements to Roads, Trails & Parks
Photographer / Amy Payne
Through the years, Avon has engaged in numerous infrastructure improvements that have paved the way to improve the quality of life in the community.
“That’s what helps with economic development — making the community as attractive as possible,” says Tom Klein, Avon Town Manager.
Doing so involves improving mobility and connectivity. One of the big road projects was the $12M Ronald Reagan reconstruction.
“The council expedited the widening from US 36 to CR 300 North, which was a cool partnership between the Town of Avon, the county and the Town of Brownsburg,” says Ryan Cannon, Assistant Town Manager for Avon who notes that a lot of people may not recognize the work that was involved because it coincided with Brownsburg’s piece of Reagan. Had Avon not expedited the project, however, it would have been an hourglass effect with only a single lane through Avon while Plainfield had four lanes and Brownsburg four.
Another wonderful improvement, both for motorists and pedestrians, was erecting the Avon Avenue bridge over the CSX tracks—a $15M project that was made possible when the state relinquished what was SR 267 to Avon, Brownsburg and the county, which allowed Avon to secure the funding.
“It had been planned for at least 15 years and never got done,” Klein says. “But once the Town was able to work with INDOT to get [SR 267] relinquished, we built it in three years.”
“CSX and US 36 divide our community for pedestrians,” Cannon says. “So, when we built that bridge with a sidewalk, that was a game-changer as it enabled us to connect people from the north and south sides of town.”
This summer the town also finished constructing a roundabout at 150 South and Avon Avenue, 90% of which was federally funded since it was a safety project.
“There were a lot of serious accidents when the traffic light was there,” says Cannon, who advocates for roundabouts since it has been proven that they reduce the number of fatal accidents. “They operate better than traffic signals because they are self-regulating.”
There are 16 roundabouts within the Washington Township boundaries.
The 100 South between Dan Jones and Ronald Reagan Parkway project is a partnership between the Town of Avon, Town of Plainfield and Hendricks County. It will include three roundabouts and be widened to four lanes.
“It will have an east-flanking roundabout, a roundabout at 900 East and 100 South and a west-flanking roundabout,” Cannon says. “From the west-flanking roundabout to Ronald Reagan, it will be four lanes.”
With this $18M project, the Town is getting close to $120-130M in investment for infrastructure. And that’s for a community of 20,000 people.
“We’re not aware of any other community of this size in Indiana that has invested that much money in infrastructure,” Klein says.
“A common theme on a lot of our improvements have been that we have collaborated with other agencies, which is the most efficient use of tax dollars,” Cannon says. In fact, the town has won three collaboration awards. “Working together accomplishes projects that benefit everyone.”
Avon’s trail systems are another way that makes the community hugely attractive, and the Town has been working to grow them in recent years.
“When we do these improvements, we will continue so that eventually pedestrians can get from the Reagan trail system to the Town Hall trail,” Klein says. “And our park is now connected to Washington Township Park trail right by the Avon Softball Park, allowing people to walk or bike from here to there.”
Klein notes that while some of the trails are in Washington Township Park, they are maintained by the Town of Avon since the Town built them using federal trail funds.
The White Lick Creek Trail was designed to give pedestrians a scenic north-south trail that follows the creek. Extending from CR 100 South to CR 100 North, it’s been built in sections. Eventually, it will connect the Plainfield Recreation Center to Williams Park in Brownsburg by way of Washington Township Park.
In addition, the Town of Avon and Avon Schools are working together to improve the easement road leading to the Avon Intermediate Schools (across from McDonald’s). According to Klein, the plan is for the Town to take ownership of the road in return for right-of-way that will eventually allow the Town to extend the trail network and connect Town Hall Park with Avon Avenue.
“We’re activating this area from Dan Jones to White Lick Creek with these trail systems with the Town Hall being the nexus of all that,” Klein says.
Next year they have plans to add a restroom to the Town Hall Park by the back of the playground. In addition, the Town is developing a master plan for Winton Meadows Park and is updating the master plan for Town Hall Park. Plus, the Town of Avon owns 20 acres of land for future parks at the northeast corner of Dan Jones and 100 South, across the street from Pine Tree Elementary and World War II Memorial Park. This land is going to connect to Burnett Woods, an 80-acre nature preserve owned by the Central Indiana Land Trust.
Future plans for these parks will move forward once the Town receives public input on the proposed master plan. Klein notes that many community members may not be aware that there are 30 parks and 5 golf courses located within 7 miles of Avon Avenue and US 36.
“Due to our central location, we have a benefit that some other communities don’t,” he says. “People can access amenities all around us that are parks, business and retail-related.”
Speaking of amenities, the Town has been deliberate about the kind they include in their parks.
“Anyone can do a basketball court, but Avon Town Hall Park was the first park in the state to install outdoor table tennis,” Klein says. “We also have a bocce ball court, a radio-control race car track, and an 18-hole disc golf course.”
The Town of Avon team looks forward to continuing to serve and strengthen our beautiful community.
On the Move: Trails in Avon
- Bicentennial Trail (½ mile within Avon, 1 mile total)
- Ronald Reagan Parkway Trail (7 miles in Avon)
- Town Hall Park Trail (2 miles)
- Avon Avenue Trail (¾ mile)
- Oaks of Avon Trail (1 mile)
- White Lick Creek Trail (2.3 miles)
- Town Hall Park-Washington Township Park Trail (.4 mile)
- Burnett Woods (1.5 miles)
- CR 100 North Trail (½ mile)
- CR 100 South Trail (1 mile)
