B & W today in Eagle Creek Park

Cyclists, Kayakers, Canoeists and Lafayette Road Bridge

The Department of Public Works held a public meeting last week about the closure of Lafayette Road between March and October 2009 for the reconstruction of the bridge over Eagle Creek. Most of the discussion centered on traffic concerns, fire protection and the lone affected business; Countryside Garden Center. My question centered on the future use of the bridge and the approaching apron and shoulder for uses related to recreation. Currently the Gilmer Bike Trail narrows dangerously on both sides of the bridge, forcing cyclists over the white line and into the path of traffic on the bridge. This problem will be corrected with a much wider shoulder at grade on both sides of the new bridge. Unfortunately nothing is being done to clarify the use of the bridge aprons for parking cars used by kayakers and canoeists or launching their craft. This is a missed opportunity. Over a year ago several representatives from TPAN met with bridge engineers and city representative Bill Chappell to discuss the use of the bridge area for uses related to accessing Eagle Creek. There was consensus that fishing from the bridge was unsafe and would not be tolerated. Those of us who use the bridge on a regular basis for launching kayaks know that it is an ideal spot to put in. Since Eagle Creek Park owns the 10 acres between Eagle Creek and Lafayette Road (north of the bridge) we encouraged the city's bridge planners meet with their brethren across the aisle at Indy Parks to discuss coordinating use of the parks land for parking launch vehicles and perhaps even assessing a pass fee for parking on the site to defray improvement costs. Nothing came of it of course because Eagle Creek Park and its parent Indy Parks are broke. The bridge engineers were not aware of any planned prohibition of launching post-completion so it is our hope the free and safe use of parking and launching watercraft will be allowed to continue.

1942 Photo of Traders Point Covered Bridge (86th and Fishback Creek)

One of the joys of maintaining this blog is stumbling upon old photos of the area. This photo of the covered bridge on West 86th Street over Fishback Creek appears to have been taken from the top of the hill at the northwest corner of West 86th Street and Lafayette Road looking south. The vegetation is more overgrown now but I today photographed the same perspective for comparison to the 1942 photo. The bridge was relocated to a site south of 86th and west of Interstate 65 in the 1960s. The bridge was reportedly sold recently to Traders Point Creamery, located 2 miles east on Moore Road. It is possible the bridge will be moved again, to a site on the creamery property. Stay tuned for more on that! The following is more information about the photo.

Link to Larger Image
http://libx.bsu.edu/CoveredBridges/PUBLIC/39-68-01.jpg
Title
Traders Point Covered Bridge
Photographer
Holmes, Alvin W., 1902-1988
Date
1942
Description
Side view of Traders Point covered bridge, Marion County, IN
Subject
Covered bridges -- Indiana
Location
United StatesIndiana
Media Type
Still Image
Original Physical Format
35mm Slide
Copyright
This photograph is the sole property of Ball State University. Any reproduction or use is strictly prohibited without the prior written permission of the Drawings and Documents Archive, College of Architecture and Planning, Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana 47306.
Collection
Alvin W. Holmes Collection
Repository
CAP Drawings and Documents Archive
Order Number
39-68-01

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