Noblesville Receives $1.6 million U.S. Department of Transportation Grant for Planning of White River Pedestrian Bridge Project
NOBLESVILLE, IN (January 24, 2025) – The City of Noblesville announced it received a $1,599,999.20 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Reconnecting Communities Pilot (RCP) Grant Program to begin the planning process to build the White River Pedestrian Bridge, increasing accessibility for residents in the surrounding neighborhood. The grant will enable the city to conduct essential design, engineering, and planning initiatives to address a significant community disconnection along the White River historically caused by State Road 32 and 19 in Noblesville’s downtown core.
With the support of the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority (CIRDA), Applied Research Institute (ARI), and MKSK consultants, the City of Noblesville submitted a grant application to USDOT for the White River Pedestrian Bridge Project requesting the amount of $1,602,249.00. The White River Pedestrian Bridge Project aims to enhance accessibility for residents living south of downtown and east of the White River by providing a safe, direct, and efficient route across the White River. This bridge will connect these residents to essential daily services, including jobs, education, healthcare, food, and recreation, and will significantly improve quality of life and promote social opportunities.
The city and its consultants are advancing concepts as part of the ongoing West Gateway Master Plan process. This pedestrian bridge project was a highly recommended improvement for access and connectivity, despite the high capital cost, the residents felt that this would have a significant impact. The vision for this project is to create a “bridge” physically and culturally across the White River to allow for a more cohesive, connected Noblesville. This project endeavors to advance equitable connectivity in Downtown Noblesville from Justice 40 neighborhoods in the core to the West Gateway, including safe access to the Federal Hill District, Riverview Hospital, pediatric and dental services, pharmacies, and Kroger.
The grant application received letters of support from the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority, the Indy Chamber, Hamilton County Plan Commission, Hamilton County Area Neighborhood Development (HAND), Hamilton County Tourism, and Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen.
“The City of Noblesville is deeply committed to advancing thoughtful development and fostering comprehensive, vibrant communities. By working with our residents and stakeholders through a transparent and collaborative process, we will ensure that the outcomes of this grant will positively and equitably impact current and future generations,” said Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen. “I appreciate the United States Department of Transportation for awarding this grant to the City of Noblesville to invest in the future of our community and help reach our goal of connectivity and accessibility for all.”
“ARI was thrilled to be able to contribute to this project as part of our new initiative, Opportunity Indiana. Piloting this effort with the City of Noblesville and its partners by providing pro-bono project management and grant writing services—and securing a win—speaks both to ARI’s federal funding expertise and the important work being done by Noblesville. We’re excited to help other Indiana communities in their grant pursuits,” said Michelle Dennis, Director of Proposal Management with ARI.
“This project is a perfect example of how CIRDA brings together ideas, support, and resources in a capital collision to develop projects that deliver a regional impact,” said Sarah Reed, White River Technical Committee Chair. “This is the first step in a process to secure federal investment that will help move the needle on the goal to foster accessible connections and recreational opportunities along the White River watershed.”
Mayor Jensen, a U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) Advisory Board Member, recently spoke on a panel at the USCM 93rd Winter Meeting about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and its impact in Noblesville, including Noblesville receiving USDOT Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program and Safe Streets and Roads for All grants.
The conceptual site plan and renderings are attached here.
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About the City of Noblesville:
Noblesville is the 9th largest city in Indiana, home to more than 75,000 residents, and the county seat in Hamilton County, Indiana. Just north of Indianapolis, the growing city is known for its nationally recognized public schools, extensive public park system, Hamilton Town Center, and the outdoor music venue Ruoff Music Center.
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About CIRDA’s White River Technical Committee:
Pursuant to Resolution R012424C adopted January 24, 2024, the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority established the White River Technical Committee. The establishment of this committee followed support offered by CIRDA in the 2023 Indiana legislative session for legislation establishing such committee. The Committee serves an advisory role to CIRDA with a primary purpose of supporting regionwide implementation of the White River Vision Plan, a comprehensive and coordinated plan to enhance the White River, and for other purposes as CIRDA may assign.
About ARI:
As a neutral, third-party nonprofit, ARI unites America’s technology ecosystem, connecting innovators and governments with the resources and partnerships that power transformational ideas into applied solutions with regional, national, and international impact.
About ARI’s Opportunity Indiana:
Opportunity Indiana is an initiative of the Applied Research Institute dedicated to helping communities across the Hoosier State capture federal funding that advances economic prosperity. Focusing on rural and underserved areas, we provide local governments, community leaders, economic developers, and nonprofit organizations the expertise and pro-bono services needed to help communities across Indiana effectively identify, pursue, and win federal grants.
About MKSK: MKSK is a collective of Planners, Urban Designers, and Landscape Architects, founded in 1990, who are passionate about the interaction between people and place. MKSK is an employee-owned practice with a network of twelve metropolitan studios in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, New York, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and the District of Columbia.
