FORT WAYNE, Ind. (ADAMS) – On Thursday, Mayor Sharon Tucker joined by residents, nearby business owners, Fort Wayne Trails, Inc., and representatives from the City of Fort Wayne’s Public Works Division, celebrated the completion of the 4.5-mile-long Hanna Street Trail, a total investment of $5,028,539.
The Hanna Street Trail and the Rivergreenway, along with a three-block sidewalk connection along Berry Street and Clay Street, complete a 13.68-mile loop–13.43 miles of trails and .25 miles of sidewalk in the City’s active transportation network.
The City released the following:
This trail allows residents to connect to many of the 110 miles of trail network across Fort Wayne. The south end of the trail connects to the Rivergreenway and the 6-Mile Creek Trail at Tillman Park. The north end of the trail connects to downtown, the Berry Street bike lane and it connects indirectly to the Rivergreenway at Clay Street and Main Street via the bike lane and sidewalk. The trail also connects to Weisser Park, Weisser Park Elementary School, McMillen Health, Southtown Centre, Reservoir Park, the Renaissance YMCA, Indiana Tech Warrior Park, the Pontiac Branch of the Allen County Public Library, the Fort Wayne Urban League and Brightpoint Head Start. Over 23,000 residents live within a half mile of the Hanna Street Trail (nearly 53,000 residents live within one mile). There are 908 employers and 17,862 employees within a half mile of the trail. Additionally, there are 19 schools and 20 parks within a half mile, making this project important for increased connectivity and pedestrian safety.
In 2013, citizens in southeast Fort Wayne formed the “Urban Trails Project Committee,” meeting with Fort Wayne Trails, Inc. and the City of Fort Wayne to request more trails in their area. The group attended numerous City Council meetings as well, asking for funds to be dedicated to the construction of a trail along Hanna Street from Downtown to the Rivergreenway in Tillman Park. In 2014, Mayor Tom Henry directed the Greenways & Trails Department to begin working on the Hanna Street Trail. The first phase was constructed in 2015 on the east side of Hanna Street from Pontiac Street to Wallace Street, and was funded with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Seven additional phases were constructed between 2016 and 2026, with the final phase between Wallace Street and Berry Street, completed in May of 2026. The City of Fort Wayne has also invested funding in a sidewalk phase along the south side of Tillman Road from the Hanna Street Trail at Tillman Park to connect to the sidewalk at Southtown Centre. Finally, the City invested funds to complete a trailhead at 612 E. Pettit Avenue and the new trailhead will be named after James Redmond, who was instrumental in promoting the idea for this trail to Mayor Henry and City Council.
The following community partners helped make the trail possible: The City’s non-profit partner, Fort Wayne Trails, contributed $257,000 in donor funds. Humane Fort Wayne provided two LoveSeats for the trailhead. The Allen County Public Library, the Urban League, Brightpoint, McMillen Health and Indiana Tech donated right-of-way.
Community Development provided federal funding for the first phase from Pontiac Street to Wallace Street and provided $378,000 for the street lights that were added to the final phase between Wallace and Berry.
Parking for the trail is available at the James Redmond Trailhead, Tillman Park, Weisser Park and at the Foellinger Foundation’s parking lot at the northeast corner of Clay and Berry streets.
Most of the trails in City limits are planned, designed, constructed and maintained by the City of Fort Wayne, under the leadership of Mayor Sharon Tucker.
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