Mayor Kerry Thomson

Page last updated on February 6, 2026 at 6:42 pm

Powerline Trail Project

Parks and Recreation will issue an invitation to bid for the construction of the new .9-mile Powerline Trail on Wednesday, Feb. 11.

  • The Powerline Trail trailhead will be located west of Rogers Street across from the entrance to Switchyard Park, and will extend west in the Duke Energy utilities easement to property owned by Monroe County. 
  • The Powerline Trail has been a key part of the city's plans for an east-west trail connector since 1997. The 12' wide asphalt trail will connect Switchyard Park, RCA Community Park and the Osage Place neighborhood.
  • Parks and Recreation contracted with AZTEC Engineering Group in July 2020 to prepare design plans for construction of the trail. Preliminary routes and design plans were unveiled at a public meeting in September 2024, and additional feedback from the public was collected online that same month. 
  • Because of right-of-way requirements related to the utilities easement, the trail will not include any lights, signs, or benches outside the trailhead area. The trail will, however, incorporate a product called "glow rock" that glows in the dark after exposure to sunlight. 
  • If an acceptable bid is received, Parks and Recreation will ask the Board of Park Commissioners to approve a construction contract at their March 23, 2026 meeting.

Learn more about the Powerline Trail

If you have questions about the Powerline Trail design or construction, or have feedback about the Powerline Trail, call 812-349-3700 or send an email ([email protected]).

Project History

Bloomington Parks and Recreation held a public meeting Sept. 4, 2024 at Switchyard Park, 1601 S. Rogers St. in Bloomington, to share information about the design of a new trail that will begin at Rogers Street across from the Switchyard Park entrance and run .9 miles west beneath the power lines. The project includes the installation of a 12-foot-wide paved trail consistent with City trail standards and all Duke Energy right-of-way requirements. The contractor will also construct a formal trailhead at Rogers Street featuring an informational kiosk, benches, bike racks, and landscaping as well as an ADA-accessible pedestrian crossing on South Rogers Street with a raised crosswalk, curb ramp modifications, and pedestrian-activated warning devices.  

The new trail, which is referred to as the “powerline trail”, was proposed in 2018. The Bloomington Common Council in October 2018 approved the issuance of park district bonds to fund the project, which was paused until Duke Energy completed infrastructure work in the area. Monroe County Board of Commissioners on May 22, 2024 approved the City of Bloomington’s request for an easement to build and operate a trail in the preexisting utility easement on the county’s Thomson Property, allowing Parks & Recreation to proceed with trail design.

The trail will connect the Habitat for Humanity Osage Place neighborhood and RCA Community Park. Future plans call for the trail to connect to and through the Summit District development to the west.

Duke Energy is wrapping up electrical grid improvement work along Rogers Street. Bloomington Parks & Recreation hopes to begin trail construction as early as 2026.