A collaboration between multiple governmental and nonprofit agencies will soon result in the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail being paved from Goshen’s Abshire Park at Lincoln Avenue/S.R. 4 to C.R. 28. Construction will be complete before October of this year, but a start date will be determined by the contractor.
The City of Goshen, Community Foundation of Elkhart County and Friends of the Pumpkinvine Nature Trail have collectively funded the $259,000 project. Goshen Parks and Recreation owns the property and Elkhart County Highway has stepped up to manage construction, which was included in their paving package for the season.
This 1.8-mile segment was the very first to be constructed of the now 17-mile trail. It opened in 2000, at a time when the concept of a multi-use path was still quite controversial. To build public support, decision makers opted to go with a natural surface which was cheaper and faster to build.
Now, the surface type is an outlier in a much larger trail system and transportation corridor. Limestone is prone to muddy and messy seasons, especially during freeze and thaw cycles and makes snow removal difficult. Simplified maintenance will help increase accessibility for all trail users.
