Trails for Illinois - Every home a trailhead!

Trails for Illinois supporters Gary and Judy W. are on a mission...

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:51:54 -0500

Trails for Illinois supporters Gary and Judy W. are on a mission to GPS every trail in Illinois from their recumbent trike tandem. But when the trail’s too short to make unloading the trike worth the bother, Gary scoots it! Check out the Garmin slung around his neck.

He used to walk the short segments, “but I got to thinking it would be nice to transit them a little faster than that,” writes Gary. “Then I thought, Why not a scooter? Looked around; did my research; bought; rode. It’s perfect in every way.”

Gary and Judy upload their data, photo and experiences to Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s Traillink.com. Follow this link to see the trails Gary & Judy have covered in the last year. What a great service to Illinois trails, and what a fantastic life!

Building trail was a radical act of defiance, bordering on civil...

Sat, 18 May 2013 14:17:00 -0500

Building trail was a radical act of defiance, bordering on civil disobedience. I had this thought more than once while emceeing at the Illinois Prairie Path’s 50th Anniversary Presentation in Naperville today.

For the first time, I heard the narrative of the trail’s inception, born of inspiration as environmental educator May Watts hiked the hill and dale on ancient trails in England, and imagined bringing that experience here. I heard and read about the property owners opposed, of the reckless abandon and ignorance and obsession that built the first rail-to-trail conversion in America.

A man, Phil Hodge, asked at an IPP board meeting why They—Wheaton, Dupage County—wasn’t building a bridge across the railroad tracks. The board said, “There is no ‘They.’ There is only We.” They made Phil a board member, and charged him with building a bridge. And he did. He had to learn how to weld.

This happened right here in Illinois. We are the cradle of the rails to trails movement! Not Wisconsin. Not Michigan. We build bridges. Us.

It has moved and recharged me.

The pics above are May T. Watts’ house, just two blocks from North Central College in Naperville, who hosted the event today. This is Mile Marker 0 for the Illinois Prairie Path, for the trail movement in America. I am declaring it Mile Marker 0 for Trails for Illinois.

The other pic is George Johnson, left, and Don Westlake, two of the Bridge Crew from the blood, sweat and tears years of the Illinois Prairie Path. Who sweats for trails these days? Who bleeds? Who learns how to weld?

I want to build a community that sweats and bleeds for Illinois trails. Join Trails for Illinois right now. Help me channel this heritage and connect our people to safe, healthy, beautiful outdoor experiences. Pick up your welding torch, your shovel, your petition, your Rotary club and Facebook account and golfing partners and doctor and friends, and in the spirit of all our founders, let’s build some trail.

We’re getting into the spirit of Bike to Work Week at the...

Mon, 13 May 2013 09:25:00 -0500

We’re getting into the spirit of Bike to Work Week at the home office. What trail is taking you to work or school this week? Share pics and vids, we’ll post ‘em!

Last night’s meeting in Willow Springs about the...

Fri, 10 May 2013 12:31:00 -0500

Last night’s meeting in Willow Springs about the Centennial Trails’ impending closure May 13 went as well as you expected/can imagine: Agency staff out of their element standing in front of a room of angry, distrustful people. Near the end, the district engaged a little too much in us-against-all-of-you, it got loud, and police poked their heads into the room just to check on things, which settled down. Then meeting adjourned.

The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago turned out key staff engaged in the McCook Reservoir expansion project, Commissioner Debra Shore, and supporting display boards and project map hand outs (above display board photo courtesy of League of Illinois Bicyclists’ Gina Kenny, more at the link). The district’s engineering chief, Catherine O’Connor, led the presentation and public input. The initial audience of maybe 75 was closer to 100 by the meeting’s end an hour later. The district captured all comments on videotape.

The district committed to clear and informative detour signs, to hiring a landscape architect to design the Centennial Trail’s replacement, and to giving serious consideration to all comments and ideas offered about the project.

Six months ago, the MWRD’s level of consideration for this meeting would probably have been much more appreciated by some. But the audience was still too stung by the trail’s unannounced-closure-then-extremely-short-notice-closure to treat any of the meeting as more than perfunctory.

Many who commented prefaced their questions and criticisms with appreciation for the MWRD’s efforts on flood control, and even for their partnership in new trail projects. Most of the comments circled around our six points. (Of course we congratulate ourselves, but feel free to remind us that they’re kind of obvious.) Three in particular were most voiced:

Willow Springs Road is a poor detour route—many accused the MWRD of putting trail users in harm’s way, and said the district should do what it can to improve user safety
The I&M Canal Trail between Willow Springs Road and Route 83 needs resurfacing to accommodate the added trail traffic as a detour route
Planning the trail closure and its impacts was incompetent/inconsiderate/irresponsible/etc., and the MWRD needs to do better

Heather Wickens of the Canal Corridor Association noted the negative economic impact that trail closure could have on towns like Willow Springs and Lemont along the corridor. Ders Anderson of Openlands asked about the legality of burying a federally funded trail—$3+ million of Enhancements funding constructed the trail—which also became a repeated topic. MWRD’s O’Connor said “We’ll look into that.”

Whether the MWRD looks into any of the comments and questions will become obvious over the next three years, of course. Collecting this input four days before closure doesn’t engender a lot of confidence, but to the MWRD’s credit, I think they really feel that they’ve done the wrong thing here. In conversations with staff and Commissioner Shore after adjournment, I found them a bit stunned and also sincere about earning back trail users’ trust. A staff member remarked how the district must close roads to repair sewer issues, and that this project looked on paper like another road closure and detour. They didn’t realize that people have a much stronger, much more personal connection to trails than they do to any road or street. That sounds like a dumb thing not to realize, but inside a huge agency like theirs, laser focused on opening their TARP system, it rings true.

It might offer a glimmer of an upside from last night: as frustrating and possibly unproductive (time will tell) as it was, I think last night’s meeting might have made trails count for the MWRD in a powerful way that they didn’t before. The region’s trail systems need the district to continue being the world-class trail building partner they’ve been since the Centennial Trail was established. They might be on their way to becoming world-class trail stewards as well.

Catherine O’Connor invited the audience back in one month to learn the district’s response to the comments and questions raised last night. That’s a good next move. We’ll post info when it’s available.

Thanks to everyone for reading, and special thanks to you if you turned out last night. And please don’t be shy about donating a little to Trails for Illinois—these fights are draining, and we’d appreciate the help.

Comments welcome, and have a great weekend. Maybe ride the Centennial one last time.

Steve Buchtel, Executive Director
708-365-9365

As it is today. In celebration of its centennial back in...

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:12:00 -0500

As it is today.

In celebration of its centennial back in 1988-89, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago led the Centennial Trail’s establishment and its first stages of development, dedicating 1000 acres along the Sanitary & Ship Canal and the Des Plaines River without cost to the Forest Preserve Districts for the trail. They had a clear goal of completing the trail to the historic portage site at 47th St. and Harlem Ave., and from there on to Navy Pier, past the second project of their centennial celebration: the water jets over the Chicago River. A charming Sun-Times article from November 20, 1989, claimed the entire trail would be finished in three years. (Swoon!)

You can read other news clippings from the Centennial Trail’s dedication here (thanks to the Canal Corridor Association and Openlands for daylighting these).

Note that this was before the federal 1991 Clean Air Act which set aside billions of dollars over the ensuing 20+ years for trail development. Trail building took partnership and initiative, and the MWRD led the way.

The Centennial Trail closure is the MWRD’s time to lead again. A resurgent Forest Preserve District of Cook County, now developing its Trails Master Plan, is the perfect partner to turn the Centennial Trail closure into a massive regional trail win, without adding time or cost to the McCook Reservoir expansion project. By granting an easement to the Forest Preserve District for trail development, the MWRD can clear the way for the Centennial’s extension to the portage site when the McCook Reservoir overburden project is finished in 2016. The portage site is also the Salt Creek Trail’s southeastern trail head, which connects to Woodfield Mall.

A three-year trail closure can become a 50-mile suburban trail connection between Joliet and Schaumburg. This is EXACTLY the kind of win-win-win collaboration that has characterized the MWRD’s projects in the past. Think the SEPA station parks along the Cal-Sag, or the original Centennial Trail. The agency has a history of reaching out beyond its own immediate needs to benefit us in ways beyond managing our sewers

“This is an excellent example of four governments coming together in a non-traditional way,” said MWRD Commissioner Joanne Alter, the chair of the Centennial Committee in 1989. It’s time to establish partnership as a new tradition.

Centennial Trail Closes for 2-3 years starting May 13

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 12:43:00 -0500

Chicago-area trail users, please move your schedules to attend this: Public Informational Meeting...

The Chicago south suburbs will have, by 2015, a 100-mile loop of...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:13:00 -0500

The Chicago south suburbs will have, by 2015, a 100-mile loop of off-street multi-use trails. And no one knew it, until this morning.

We had the great pleasure of dramatically pulling the sheet off of a 100-mile trail system this morning that brings users back to where they started, entirely in Chicago’s south suburbs, that no one - including us until recently - saw coming. Disparate trail efforts, quite unintentionally, have connected to one another in a way no one foresaw.

Our audience was the Chicago Southland Economic Development Commission, a roomful of 250 business leaders and elected officials from across the Chicago South Suburbs. Our Making Trails Count in Illinois study allowed us to connect this group to the potential economic impact of the Chicago Southland Century network - a century-sized off-street loop that no other region in Illinois, and no state in the Midwest, can claim.

Those of you who supported Making Trails Count, we are so grateful for what you’ve enabled us to do. When you support Trails for Illinois, you are driving the transformation that we triggered this morning in the Chicago Southland, that we are ready to bring to the entire state. Please download the report at http://trailsforillinois.org/maketrailscount. And please donate to this tiny organization who is changing how communities across this state think about the value of trails.

Thanks to SEH’s Gregg Calpino for sending us the picture.

I think the most unused trail in the state is the I & M canal. Any thoughts on going that!!! Channanon to Starve Rock Park and back. I know its alot longer but might be a plan!!! Anyone interested in doing this !! There is some cool towns you pass and camping at the state park. Is there anyone I can contact?? Maybe organize it for 2014??

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 07:53:32 -0500

Hi, Ken! Great minds think alike: GITy Up is designed to move around to Illinois’ different...

What can I do to help prevent the sanitary district from closing the Centennial Trail for 3 years?

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 09:47:30 -0500

Hi, Bruce! Sorry for catching this late. What U.S. congressional district do you live in? And where...

Phil Valenzo of South Elgin was a combat medic in Vietnam...

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 09:35:10 -0500

Phil Valenzo of South Elgin was a combat medic in Vietnam 1970-74. Phil shares what it meant to live along the Fox River Trail during his recent 11-month layoff. His home is his trailhead!

Our report, Making Trails Count in Illinois, shows that hundreds of thousands of people like Phil are spending a lot of time on Illinois trails, benefiting the state and themselves. Get the full report at http://trailsforillinois.org/maketrailscount.

Phil’s story was part of our Trails Saved My Life presentation at American Trails’ International Trails Symposium, April 15 in Phoenix, AZ. See more about American Trails: http://americantrails.org.

Trails equal health for Illinois’ boomers and seniors: 55%...

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 08:34:00 -0500

Trails equal health for Illinois’ boomers and seniors: 55% trail users in Making Trails Count in Illinois were 46-65 yrs old, 16% older than 65 yrs, most of them cycling or walking for 1-2 hrs/visit.

They know where they’ll find a higher quality of life: out on Illinois trails.

Download the report here, or contact us for bound copies.

Photo by Thomas’ Photographic Services.

Two hundred thousand ice cream cones: Palos Heights, Illinois...

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:42:14 -0500

Two hundred thousand ice cream cones: Palos Heights, Illinois parks & recreation director Mike Leonard shares how Making Trails Count in Illinois will help him make the case for economic development along the Cal-Sag Trail.

Making Trails Count in Illinois, a set on Flickr. Hot off the...

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 10:30:00 -0500

Making Trails Count in Illinois, a set on Flickr.

Hot off the press: the beautiful, bound Making Trails Count in Illinois report. Very limited print run. Contact steve@trailsforillinois.org about getting a copy, or download the PDF at http://trailsforillinois.org/maketrailscount

I had a great walkabout Springfield with retired IDNR Trails...

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:14:00 -0500

I had a great walkabout Springfield with retired IDNR Trails & Greenways guy Dick Westfall, who is a brilliant trails thinker and takes a good photo to boot. Then lunch with Dick, IDNR landscape architect & trails planner George Bellovics, and Illinois Route 66’s Bill Kelly.

The topic: tourism’s roll in improving trails in Illinois. Making Trails Count in Illinois shows the impact that the trails we studied have on Illinois tourism, and that they could benefit from tourism’s expertise about serving visitors.

Super smart guys, a good lunch, plus a bonus takeaway: George’s advice that to build a trail, “One must build the trail in the minds of the people along the way.”

Wow. That’s the secret.

Download Making Trails Count in Illinois

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:52:16 -0500

Download Making Trails Count in Illinois

A different conversation for trails in Illinois

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 10:12:36 -0500

The public release of Making Trails Count in Illinois is tomorrow, March 30, when the download link...

Monday, April 1 is the last day your organization can join...

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 16:17:48 -0500

Monday, April 1 is the last day your organization can join Trails for Illinois in signing on to the Partnership for Active Transportation’s letter to Governor Quinn. The letter asks the Governor to take advantage of the flexible funding options in the new federal transportation bill to prioritize trails, biking and walking facilities that provide safe, healthy, active options to get outside and move, under Illinoisans’ own power. Read the letter here.

The Partnership for Active Transportation speaks to our desire to allow every home in Illinois to be a trailhead. Our own research shows that Illinoisans who live 10 minutes or less from trails use trails more. As a signee to the letter, we’re joining other bicycling and walking organizations like Rails-to-Trails Conservancy as well as health partners like American Heart Association, the YMCA, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Spearheaded by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the Partnership for Active Transportation is a national campaign to build opportunities for physical activity into the transportation planning and projects of the 21st century. Please read the letter and consider signing!

Reviewing the printer’s proof for Making Trails Count in...

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 08:08:29 -0500

Reviewing the printer’s proof for Making Trails Count in Illinois. Average spending $30+ per trail visit…. Did I just tumblr that out loud?

Making Trails Count volunteer coordinator Jon Voelz of Vienna...

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:22:05 -0500

Making Trails Count volunteer coordinator Jon Voelz of Vienna had TWO—count ‘em, TWO—winning photos in American Trails’ 2012 Photo Contest. Thank you, Jon and congratulations! Illinois REPRESENTS.

Centennial Trail detour options, a set on Flickr.Responses from...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 22:41:08 -0500

Centennial Trail detour options, a set on Flickr.

Responses from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago are saying that they’ll work on signing a detour soon for the closed Centennial Trail. But the detour options will take more than signs. We walked the detour routes on the east end to the I&M Canal Trail today and took pictures. Oy!

AND…the trail isn’t closed for work on the Sanitary & Ship Canal. It’s closed because the District needed a convenient place to dump earth removed from the McCook Reservoir a few miles away. Not very respectful of the tax dollars invested to build the Centennial Trail. The MWRD can be better than this.