The American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of Indiana awarded the City of Goshen and DLZ with an Engineering Excellence Award (State Finalist) for the Monroe Street Trail project constructed in Elkhart County for the City of Goshen, Indiana.  The project was managed by Jay Stankiewicz and designed by Phil LaBrash from DLZ’s Fort Wayne office. The client was the City of Goshen and the project utilized federal highway funds administrated by INDOT.

The Monroe Street Trail provides a safe route for students and pedestrians traveling between residential neighborhoods, Goshen High School, and the Elkhart County 4-H Fairgrounds with links to the existing Maple City Greenway and Pumpkinvine Trail systems. 

This project proved to be a worthy investment for the City of Goshen as the Elkhart County 4-H Fair is one of the largest in the nation and this trail provided pedestrian access to auxiliary parking areas, reducing congestion and traffic on the only roadway that provides access to the fairgrounds entrance.

A unique at-grade double track railroad crossing was designed to stop trail users and alert them of oncoming train traffic, requiring extensive coordination with Norfolk Southern and INDOT.  Other noteworthy design elements included a modular block retaining wall system to minimize impacts to vital parking areas, a solar powered pedestrian signal for a mid-block crossing, and coordination to provide pedestrian access across the Rock Run Creek with a third party contractor in the midst of the trail construction.