Kitselman Trailhead Enters Phase Two Construction
The Kitselman Trailhead has entered Phase Two of construction, kicking off a strategic transformation and re-branding of the gateway to the City of Muncie, Indiana, from points east. Designed by Land Collective with support from HWC Engineering, the Kitselman Trailhead represents Muncie’s shift from a heavy industrial center to a renewed hub of sustainability, converting a former brownfield site to an emblematic entrance to the City that embraces riverfront, trail connections, historic infrastructure, and sustainable design.
Last week saw the realization of the project’s centerpiece and key impetus – the unification of the Cardinal Greenway and the White River Greenway trail systems, via the relocation of the historic Albany Bridge. The restored steel truss bridge, originally built in 1899 by Muncie’s Indiana Bridge Company, was moved to cross the White River at the Trailhead entrance to the City, connecting the two greenway trails on opposite sides of the riverbank. View a time-lapse of the bridge lift and installation captured by Cardinal Greenways.
The new connection (which will be renamed Kitselman Bridge) and the Kitselman Trailhead represent a successful collaboration between communities and a celebration of the White River and its revivification. The construction of amenities and new trail connections on the river’s eastern side will follow this summer, with trailhead parking and a sloped lawn with seating overlooking the White River to create gathering and recreation space for residents and visitors. The third phase of the project, focusing on improvements to the west side of the river, is in the design, engineering, and fundraising stage, with the aim of construction in 2022. Learn more from a press release from the Muncie-Delaware County, Indiana Economic Development Alliance.