Henry Street Bridge

he Henry Street Bridge is a new structure being built over the White River in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The Henry Street Bridge is a new structure being built over the White River in Indianapolis, Indiana.

History

In 2020, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation proposed the White River Innovation District as a mixed-use redevelopment of the former General Motors stamping plant site in Indianapolis. ⁸ The District was later renamed LEVEE. Its primary goals were to revitalize a distressed industrial property and to extend White River State Park further south.

A key feature of the plan was a new bridge along Henry Street over the White River. ⁷ The bridge was intended to connect the District to downtown Indianapolis and to relieve traffic on the existing Washington and Oliver Street bridges. Proposed in March 2022, the structure was designed as a standard concrete beam bridge, supported by a distinctive structural “O” ring.

The bridge project represents the second expansion of the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and is expected to cost $21.2 million. ¹ The city will fund the bridge as its principal contribution to the broader $100 million redevelopment effort, which includes the new Elanco Animal Health headquarters and the expansion of White River State Park. Upon completion, the Cultural Trail will span nine miles.

The new $20 million bridge will feature dual pedestrian and bicycle paths, as well as a two-lane roadway for automobiles. ¹ Architecturally significant elements include 80-foot rings with programmable lighting and plaza spaces designed for public gatherings and cultural art displays. ³

Partially funded by the Lilly Endowment, the project will represent a $43.6 million investment in the west side of Indianapolis. ³

Construction

Construction on the new Henry Street Bridge officially began with a groundbreaking ceremony on October 30, 2024. ³ Prior to this, crews had been working to remove the remaining piers from the former Oliver Avenue bridge, which had been largely dismantled in 1925. They also began constructing a causeway across the White River. ⁴ Substructure work commenced in December. ⁵

Greenlawn Cemetery

The planned route of the Henry Street Bridge passed through the former site of Greenlawn Cemetery, prompting officials to prepare for the discovery of unmarked graves and human remains. ¹ A total of $12 million was allocated for the excavation effort. ⁶ Established in the 1820s, Greenlawn was Indianapolis’s first public cemetery and was closed by the early 20th century. In 1917, the Diamond Chain Company acquired the property for industrial use. Over time, numerous exhumations took place, conducted by families, contractors, and grave robbers.

In late October, crews from the city’s Department of Public Works discovered human remains and fifteen grave shafts during preliminary work. ² Several deep grave shafts, along with a footstone and a headstone base, were uncovered on the east side of the White River during preparations for archaeological excavation. Trained bioarchaeologists and archaeologists conducted careful hand excavations around each burial site.

One of the archaeological team’s primary objectives was to identify the individuals buried at the site and place them within the broader historical context of the city. ² The state’s Historic Preservation Office approved the excavation plan, which included documenting and removing human remains and associated artifacts.

The excavation was projected to continue through the spring of 2025. ²