Pogues Run Greenway: Illuminating the Path to Innovation

Spark in the Dark: The Birth of an Idea

Imagine walking along a trail that glows softly beneath your feet, guiding your way through the night. This luminous scenery can be witnessed in Indianapolis, Indiana, while strolling down the Pogues Run Greenway, Indiana’s first glow-in-the-dark asphalt path. Creativity and community spirit came together to light up this urban trail.

A beloved local tradition, and a fading neighborhood memory, sparked the idea for the glowing section of Pogues Run Greenway. Every summer, the Feast of Lanterns festival transforms Spades Park on the northeast side of Indianapolis into a kaleidoscopic wonderland of glowing lanterns, while once upon a time, Nowland Avenue was said to have been paved with colorful glass from the nearby Marietta Glass Factory. These inspirations led to the dream of a trail that would glow in the dark, paying double tribute to both legacies. Fulfilling this wish, however, required ingenuity and perseverance.

Paving the Way: The Pogues Run Trail

In 2013, the City of Indianapolis hired CHA Consulting, Inc. (CHA) to begin designing Pogues Run Trail, a 5.3-mile path linking Pogues Run Art and Nature Park to the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and the Monon Trail at 10th Street. At the time, funding was only available for the first mile. Still, CHA continued to work with grassroots organizations and the City of Indianapolis to move the project forward until additional funding was available, with significant financial contributions coming from community organizations. Once financed, we completed the trail design with a restored historic bridge, a new pedestrian bridge, enhanced street crossings, interpretive trail heads, and an imaginative element: glow-in-the-dark stone in the trail’s asphalt surface.

The Science Behind the Shine

The investigation to create this glowing trail first led us to considering the use of glass in asphalt, a concept known as "glassphalt." But we quickly hit a snag—glass doesn’t mix well with asphalt because the binder doesn’t stick to it well. Plus, Indiana’s asphalt plants don’t use glass in their mixtures due to state regulations.

Not ready to give up, our team discovered glow stone technology.

During the day, glow stones absorb and store UV spectrum light. Once the sun sets, the stored energy is released as a soft, ambient glow, a process known as phosphorescence. This glow can last from a few hours up to 15 hours, depending on the quality of the stones and the amount of light absorbed. Generally, glow stones are powered by photoluminescent pigment, otherwise known as strontium aluminate, a rare earth element. This pigment is mixed into either resin or glass to create non-toxic, non-radioactive glow stones. The result is an eco-friendly lighting solution that does not require electricity, enhances visibility in low-light conditions, and adds a magical aesthetic appeal to the greenway.

Lighting the Night: Planning and Implementation

Sourcing the glow stones involved researching multiple potential vendors, including the vendor for the Starpath in Europe and a glow stone company in Hong Kong, before finally connecting with the project’s ultimate glow stone provider, Ambient Glow Technology (AGT), in Ontario, Canada. While we were excited to find the glowing stone product, there wasn’t much information or experience on using it. We met with designers who did a similar application in Rome, New York, obtained their “lessons learned,” and developed our construction specification for Pogues Run.

The greenway would stretch 1,300 feet long and 10 feet wide, using around 700 pounds of AGT™ OPTIMUM Blend glow aggregate in Aqua-Blue and Sky-Blue colors. To install the glowing stones, they were scattered across the surface of the freshly placed hot-mix asphalt (HMA) and then immediately rolled into the asphalt to be flush with the trail surface. Our goal was to have the hot, fresh binder in the asphalt stick to the glowing stones while not covering them in asphalt binder themselves.

Glow stones were placed into 5-gallon buckets and staged evenly along the path for consistent coverage. Crews then scattered stones like seeds across the surface, sprinkled them onto the asphalt, poured them out of buckets, or tossed them into the air, allowing them to settle naturally. To add a touch of playfulness, stones were rolled out with bowling throws or tossed onto the surface like bags in a game of cornhole. Before employing these methods on the main path, the team created a 20-foot test section to help refine these methods for uniform distribution and secure adherence.

Overcoming Obstacles

Installing the glow stones required careful planning and execution. Teams worked to ensure that each stone was fully surrounded by hot-mix asphalt to help prevent pop-outs and divots. They also had to consider the environmental impact, particularly when working near Pogues Run Creek. Protecting the streambank and minimizing impacts on floodways were critical concerns.

Another challenge was preserving a grove of memorial trees established by the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union in the 1930s. The trail route was adjusted to provide ample separation from the trees, enhancing the trail's appeal and respecting the grove's historical significance. The greenway also intersected with the Brookside Disc Golf course, necessitating collaboration with course representatives to relocate several holes safely. Both golfers and trail users can still enjoy their activities freely.

On the technical side, there were concerns about potential stone loss, particularly after the winter’s freeze and thaw cycles. A few months after installation, some stones had popped out of the asphalt, and there were a few divots on the pathway’s surface. By March 2025, approximately 70% of the stones remained; however, a loss of glow stones had been anticipated. Still, the trail continues to shine brightly at night. While eliminating stone loss entirely may not be possible, potential solutions include seeding stones on HMA before rolling or using a clear concrete sealer and asphalt rejuvenator to minimize pop-outs while maintaining visibility.

Lighting Up Lives: Community Benefits

Access to trails and greenways encourages physical activity, which can reduce healthcare costs. Studies have shown that every $1 invested in trails for physical activity can save about $3 in healthcare costs. From a sustainability perspective, greenways protect the environment, preserve natural landscapes, and reduce the carbon footprint by decreasing vehicular traffic. Trails also attract visitors and can increase nearby property values by up to 5% to 10%. For instance, the Monon Trail in Indianapolis sees over 1.3 million users annually, and the Indianapolis Cultural Trail has been credited with generating over $1 billion in economic impact since its completion.

In addition to general benefits, the Pogues Run Greenway serves the Near Eastside neighborhood of Indianapolis, a transitioning yet often underserved area that includes Brookside, Spades Park, and the area surrounding the Circle City Industrial Complex. The trail enhances physical and social linkages between the Near Eastside and the rest of Indianapolis, especially downtown, improving access to clean and safe parks, waterways, and recreational opportunities.

Sparking Interest Across Cities

Glow stones offer an innovative aesthetic element that is both eco-friendly and cost-effective. They enhance visibility in low-light conditions and add a unique artistic appeal, transforming ordinary trails into magical nightscapes. With many cities exploring ways to enhance public spaces while promoting sustainability, it’s no wonder that the glow stone section of Pogues Run Trail has already garnered interest from places like St. Louis, MO; Louisville, KY; Cincinnati, OH; and Albany, NY. Glow stones can provide a green alternative that aligns perfectly with these goals.

Path to a Bright Future

The story of the Pogues Run Greenway is a testament to what can be achieved when vision, technology, and community come together. By integrating glow-in-the-dark technology, the project enhances safety and aesthetics while paying homage to the area's rich history. This trail segment serves as a nighttime art installation in Spades Park as the trail winds through an unlit field along the banks of Pogues Run. There's nothing like it in Indiana. As the glow stones light up the night, they illuminate not just the path ahead, but the possibilities for future innovations in urban design.