The Zionsville Parks and Recreation Department has cleared away overgrowth that posed a potential hazard to drivers.

Parks Superintendent Jarod Logsdon told the park board in July that the department’s natural resource management team completed a project to remove invasive species along the Mulberry tunnel of the Big-4 Rail Trail and established a native planting bed near the Ford/Whitestown roundabout and Big-4 Pine Street entrance ramp.

“The goal is to cut back some of those invasive species that are causing blind spots near the roundabout,” Logsdon said. “So, first and foremost, improving safety and visibility sight lines for vehicular traffic, but also having that area serve a purpose for prairie and pollinator species along the tunnel.”

The team will complete a planting project for two additional native planting beds at the Mulberry tunnel this month. Crews also spent part of the summer planting more than 200 trees within Turkeyfoot Park, Creekside Nature Preserve and other park properties.

Logsdon told the board that erosion control efforts between Town Hall and Bloor Road were completed in July by Morphey Construction of Indianapolis, which repaired and armored washed out portions of the trail shoulder.

Big-4 connector pathways were also completed along S. 875 E. to Trailside Elementary, and to the Hampshire subdivision internal pathway network.

“That was a partnership with (the department of public works) for the pathways that are now on 875 and 400,” Logsdon said. “We were glad to partner with DPW on that and now we have those school and neighborhood connections to our Big-4 Rail Trail.”

In his monthly report, Logsdon also noted that preliminary design and cost estimates are being calculated for the Turkeyfoot Bridge Rehab project. The project is expected to be ready for bid by November.

Follow Zionsville Parks and Recreation updates at zionsville-in.gov/726/Parks-Recreation.