July 15, 2025
Trailgoers Walking the Monon South Trail in Salem
BEDFORD, Ind. (July 15, 2025)— Phase 1A of the Monon South Trail— which opened 20 miles of trail in segments through the communities of Borden, New Pekin, Salem, Saltillo, Campbellsburg, Orleans, and Mitchell—is now complete. This allows local residents and tourists to enjoy new quality-of-life benefits and economic development opportunities.
On June 20, Radius Indiana opened the last two sections, (Campbellsburg and New Pekin), of Phase 1A of trail construction to the public.
“Last July we held the Monon South Groundbreaking Ceremony in Borden. Since then, it took our project team only 11 months to construct and open 20 miles of trail,” said Jeff Quyle, president and CEO of Radius Indiana. “From collaborating with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, coordinating with local communities, and working with our design and construction partners—Taylor Siefker Williams Design Group, Temple & Temple, Clark Dietz, and MAC Construction—I cannot express how impressive the quality and efficiency of this project has been thus far due to our partners. With Phase 1A being completed in early summer, this is the prime time for communities to utilize the increased connectivity and tourism traffic to further develop their business districts.”
Earlier this year, the Eppley Center for Parks and Public Lands released an economic impact study on the business growth the trail is forecast to bring, sharing that there is an annual projected spending of $34,000 to $111,000 per mile of trail. This indicates that there is an opportunity for local communities to capitalize on increased revenue from trailersgoers—whether those trailgoers be tourists or local residents.
To help local entrepreneurs kickstart businesses along or adjacent to the trail, Radius Indiana will hold a Monon South Pitch Competition this fall. Participants will have the opportunity to present their ideas for a trailside business, access business development resources, and compete for funding. No prior entrepreneurial experience is required to participate, and Radius Indiana encourages first-time entrepreneurs to register, taking advantage of the free Gener8tor workshop offered—which will give tips on how to create a pitch deck for small businesses and provide professional feedback on business ideas. More information is available at radiusindiana.com or mononsouth.com.
“Since the trail opened, we have already seen the excitement that community members have to be active and enjoy it—from Hometown Scoops creating their weekly walk/run/bike club in Orleans; the Town of Borden using the trail for their annual 5K (more than doubling last year’s participation); people walking on the trail to and from local farmers markets and more,” said Sadie Miskuf, Regional Main Street director for the Magnificent Monon South Main Street Program.
In addition to creating new opportunities for local businesses, the trail has also spurred on artistic initiatives, funded by READI 1.0 and Radius Indiana funds. This effort aims to tie Indiana communities together as a cohesive destination. To achieve this, multiple artistic initiatives have been kickstarted, such as conducting plein air paintings with local college artists from Indiana University and Ivy Tech Bloomington as well as commissioning the creation of limestone sculptures by local artists at each of the planned trailheads.
Phase 1B of trail construction—which will establish trailheads in Borden, Campbellsburg, New Pekin and Orleans—is currently underway. These trailheads are expected to be completed in Fall 2025 and will have bathrooms, trash cans, sitting areas, misting stations, charging stations for electric bikes, and more. To stay updated on the Monon South Trail, visit mononsouth.com or follow the trail on Facebook.