(La Porte, IN) - People will soon be able to walk or ride a bicycle on a lakefront trail well under construction in La Porte.

 

A near mile long stretch of Lakeshore Drive next to Stone Lake started undergoing a complete transformation six weeks ago.

 

When completed in mid-October, one lane from Grangemouth Road to Craven Drive will be for motor vehicle travel while the other lane will be strictly for pedestrians and bicyclists, said LaPorte Parks and Recreation Department Superintendent Mark Schreiber.

 

Scenic overlooks above the water are being added to enhance the experience for users of the trail and for people to fish or dock their boats.

 

Maureen Scott and some of her friends meet on a regular basis to walk along the shoreline near Cummings Lodge at Soldiers Memorial Park.

 

Scott says motor vehicle traffic was never heavy on the former two lane street closed for construction but a trail will make her feel safer and enhance what’s already a beautiful area.

 

“I’m sure it’s going to make everything look so much nicer. Not that it was bad to begin with but improvements are improvements,” she said.

 

Schreiber said the road now that the asphalt has been removed will be repaved starting next week.

 

A divider will go up between the lanes for the safety of people on the trail.

 

Native plants will also go in to further dress up a shoreline where unsightly stone and concrete slabs were dumped years ago to help with flood control.

 

“It’s going to be great,” Schreiber said.

 

The project costing more than $800,000 is funded mostly by the Healthcare Foundation of LaPorte as part of its goal to make LaPorte one of the top 10 heathiest communities in the state by 2030.

 

Eventually, Schreiber said the trail will connect to a series of trails being developed throughout much of the city.