16 Tech Bridge - What it Opens Up To
Why it is such a big deal
Now that the 16 Tech Bridge over Fall Creek is complete, it opens up a back country escape from the grind of the city to downtown bike riders. In the words ahead, you will see some of the history the bicyclist will pass through. This as he or she takes in all the wonder that is there to be seen once they leave the also all new Indianapolis Cultural Trail extension.
If you turn left before the street, as soon as you cross the bridge on to the bike path, soon a black chain-link fence enclosed field will appear on your right. It is probably five football fields in size. From the ground, several feet above it, stainless steal vents appear - eight of them. Beneath them are the cavernous water reservoirs they allow to breathe.
Probably 100 hundred yards from the 16 Tech Innovation District bridge over Fall Creek that was man-made in 1875 per this story,
is the suspension bridge that Mr. Greenway, Ray Irvin, commissioned. When it was dedicated in July 2000, the Dr. Beurt SerVaas Bridge served notice of the Greenway future Irvin had in mind for Indianapolis. At 364 feet long and 5 stories tall, it was a remarkable achievement for cyclists 25 years ago. Now it has been replaced by the bridge that the new Indianapolis Cultural Trail extension feeds...
Looking away from the Irvin bridge is a grand building, the Riverside Pumping Station of 1900, now one of Citizens Energy’s ten water treatment facilities.
As the path winds behind Citizens, before it reaches the levee paths high above the White River, it crosses over a wooden gangplank like construction that Ray Irvin also designed as a way to get through the thick vegetation here. About a quarter mile in length, he also made it so it can be taken apart and reassembled if work needs to be done in this area.
From the levee path, the remains of the Emrichsville Dam built in 1908 appear. It was this dam that created a small lake for Riverside Park of 1898 that closed in 1970.
As you look out on the riprap that was once a dam,
a graffiti covered structure that looks like a castle appears. That is what is left of the Emrichsville Bridge that was demolished in 1949. It was removed when the 16th St. bridge was completed to make for better access to the Indy 500 Motor Speedway
If you look behind you, away from the river, you will see Bush Stadium (1931 to 1996) where the Indianapolis minor-league baseball team played its games. It has been converted into an apartment complex called Stadium Lofts.
After the baseball park, headed north, after you cross busy 16th St., you will be on the Car Free path that runs adjacent to a golf course, and then Taggart Memorial, an outdoor performing arts amphitheater. At Taggart, you can turn east, away from the river, and you will be on beautiful Burdsal Parkway where a half mile later, you will be on the spectacular Fall Creek Parkway. Ten miles of a tree shaded gently rolling and twisting pathway, through expertly manicured grounds will, take you to Fort Benjamin State Park where even more wonder awaits.
Next to Taggart is enormous Riverside Regional Park, which was established in 1903 It is the second-largest park in Indianapolis with 862-acres of parkland. filled with play structures, ballfields endless lawns, an activity center, picnic shelters, basketball courts, even horseshoe pits, etc.
Across the street, back on the river path, is Lake Indy which offers tree shaded picnic tables and a boat launch for the small lake that another riprap dam makes possible.
After crossing over 29th St at Riverside High School (located in the old Naval Armory Building), once you snake behind it and through the condominium village, you will be on the Central Canal Trail. Where it crosses over White River Parkway, 6/10 of a mile after the high school, one of the most beautiful bicycle paths in all the world begins.
Here, on crushed limestone, the old Central Canal Towpath will make the world melt away. It travels for three miles along along an historic, 19th century, man-made tree-shaded waterway. Calm and flat, it even saunters through a part of the beautiful Butler University campus as well as Newfields. Newfields is a 152-acre indoor/outdoor nature preserve. Its campus includes a wooded lake, hiking trails, museums, and gardens, etc.
About 2-1/2 miles of beautiful trails and paths later, you will be in quaint downtown Broad Ripple filled with restaurants and health food stores, even a cutting edge bike shop. A 20 mile round-trip, there is no better way to refresh the soul. All made easily possible by the Cultural Trail extension and the new16 Tech bridge!