Trails
SINGING SANDS TRAIL
The Singing Sands Trail in Michigan City is the local segment of the regional Marquette Greenway Trail that will connect Chicago area trails to trails in southwest Michigan. The non-motorized trail will be open to the public year-round and will follow ADA and Recreational Trails guidelines.
Phase I of the Singing Sands Trail connects the Calumet Trail at the Porter/LaPorte County line to City Hall in Michigan City. Phase I is substantially complete and open to the public. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held in September 2021. This segment is 2.2 miles in length.
Phase II of the Singing Sands Trail connects to phase I, crossing Highway 12 at Michigan Blvd. The trail follows Michigan Boulevard southeastward to 8th Street. The Trail follows E. 8th Street eastward to E Street where it connects to the existing Trail Creek Greenway Trail. From the north end of the existing Peanut Bridge over Trail Creek, the trail continues eastward along the north side of Trail Creek and terminates at Liberty Trail. Phase II is substantially complete and open to the public. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held in September 2021. This segment of the trail is 1.4 miles in length.
Phase III-A begins at the east termini of phase II on Liberty Trail. The trail heads east through Krueger Memorial Park and International Friendship Gardens and terminates at Martin Luther King Drive. Design and engineering is fully funded and underway. The City is under contract with Butler, Fairman & Seufert, Inc. for the design and engineering of phase III. Final design and right of way acquisition is scheduled to be completed by August 2022 with an anticipated letting date, pending funding, of January 2023. This segment of the trail is .8 miles in length.
Phase III – B Follows the city’s right of way on Martin Luther King Drive, then crosses Martin Luther King Drive to Oak Hills Park, terminating at the Park. Trail construction began in October 2021 and is anticipated to be complete August 2022. This segment is 1.7 miles in length.
Phase III – C Proceeds through Oak Hills Park, heads north in the City’s right of way on Victory Court, then east on Ruth Street in the City’s right of way, then north on Karwick Road in the City’s right of way, terminating on the south side of U.S. Highway 12. The City is under contract with Butler Fairman and Seufert, Inc. for design and engineering of Phase III-C. This segment is 0.6 miles in length.
Phase III – D Starts at the Phase III-C termination, crosses U.S. 12, then heads east adjacent to the Amtrak right-of-way. Once clear of the Amtrak right-of-way, proceeds along Grand Beach Road east to El Portal Drive, terminating at the Marquette Greenway segment currently under design by LaPorte County. The City is under contract with Butler Fairman and Seufert, Inc. for design and engineering of Phase III-D. This segment is 2.4 miles in length.
Connections: The Singing Sands Trail will provide connections within a ½ mile of the trail system to over 175 businesses, churches, cultural attractions, the county library, medical facilities, government offices, parks, schools, and transportation hubs. Nearly 6,000 employees work within ½ mile of the Singing Sands Trail.
Trail Uses: Non-motorized (except for electric wheelchairs), bike and pedestrian trail.