The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Community Foundation of DeKalb County celebrated the completion of the Auburn-Waterloo Trail in Auburn today.

The asphalt multi-use trail was constructed by the community foundation with help from a $1,055,200 Next Level Trails (NLT) grant. The award was announced by Gov. Eric J. Holcomb in April 2022 as part of the third grant round of NLT.

“Next Level Trails at its core is about making connections between people and communities,” said Dan Bortner, DNR director. “This new trail in Auburn makes an important connection both in the community and across the region, and it is the latest of more than 100 trail miles across the state that were built with support from Next Level Trails.”

The project widened 2.77 miles of existing sidewalk to 10 feet wide, connecting the towns of Auburn and Waterloo, stretching from Morningstar Road to Cedar Street. The new trail provides a safe passage for students who use the trail to get to the middle and high schools along South Wayne Street. The project includes five pedestrian crossing upgrades and 23 improved drive crossings along the trail. The city of Auburn and DeKalb County are key partners for this project.

The Auburn-Waterloo Trail is a part of the Poka-Bache Connector Trail, an 81-mile corridor that will stretch from Pokagon State Park in Steuben County to Ouabache State Park in Wells County.

“The Auburn Waterloo Trail Committee is very pleased to see the completion of our widened and asphalt-paved trail,” said Dick Shenkle, chair of the Auburn Waterloo Trail Committee. “This was accomplished with the cooperation and help of DNR, the city of Auburn, DeKalb County, Community Foundation of DeKalb County, our contractors and supporters. Thank you to everyone who made this trail possible.”

As part of Gov. Holcomb’s Next Level Connections initiative, NLT is the largest infusion of trails funding in state history. The now $180 million program is administered by the DNR and facilitates critical trail connections within and between Hoosier communities. Forty-one of the 89 NLT projects are complete, totaling more than 109 miles of trail built since the program’s inception. Several projects are under construction, with many more slated to break ground during the next year.

More information about NLT is at on.IN.gov/NextLevelTrails.