Carmel’s Monon Greenway: Transforming an Abandoned Railroad Line to the Lifeline of Carmel

In 2021, the city of Carmel celebrated the 20th anniversary of the hugely successful transformation of the former CSX (formerly Monon) Railroad line that connected Chicago and Indianapolis for more than 100 years to what is now known as the Monon Greenway. However, in the late 1990s, as the city of Carmel and surrounding towns and cities looked to redevelop the abandoned rail line, there was significant opposition from some residents and years of protracted litigation. Today, the Monon Greenway is a 42acre linear park.

Brainard had a vision for the Monon Railroad line that had it morphing into a multi-county linear trail that would eventually become a main feed for intersecting trails throughout Central Indiana and the epicenter of an economic boom for Carmel and its fellow communities who share the railroad corridor.

Wastewater Treatment and Sewer Collection

During the Mayor’s first term, 1996 to 1999, the Water Utility replaced aging water mains in Old Town and expanded Water Treatment capacity by 2,000,000 gallons per day. The Wastewater Utility won an award from the Environmental Protection Agency for excellence in Wastewater Treatment and Sewer Collection System Operation.

The Mayor’s leadership was the spark for the water/wastewater projects started and completed during this time period. It set the stage for continued growth to meet the city’s needs.