|
ILLINOIS TRAILS CONSERVANCY Click here for a Printer-Friendly Copy of the May 2010 Trail News |
ILLINOIS TRAILS CONSERVANCY
MAY 2010 TRAIL NEWS
IMPORTANT THAT YOU WATCH FOR ANNOUNCEMENT OF ENHANCEMENT
GRANTS THAT SHOULD BE MADE in late May or early June.
LOCAL TRAIL NEWS:
·
Bev attended a meeting in Lemont
where there was a discussion as to where and how to connect
Centennial Trail to the I & M Canal. After a tour of the
Centennial Trail and a bike ride along the I & M Canal Trail and a
talk with a local resident Bev suggested in a letter to Lemont that
a Cantilever Bridge be attached to the old unsightly railroad bridge
with refurbishing the old bridge part of the deal.
·
Bev made a quick stop by Waterfall
Glen that would also make a nice connection to these trails.
·
Bev also presented ITC exhibits in Galena
& Rockford to celebrate Earth Day.
·
George Burrier, ITC Board Member in
Peoria sent an e-amil “We did it. The STB ruled we can
have the middle section of the Keller Branch on April 15, 2010.
This makes possible a linkage of more than 1,100 miles if we connect
the Constitution Trail and the Hennepin Canal in both directions.
May 21 will be a big press conference where we will be pulling out
spikes on the section we need for a trail.”
·
Bev attended a McHenry Bicycle
Advocates meeting in the Algonquin Township Building with
Eberhard Veit. Lina came from Transportation Alliance to share
suggestions for bicycle lanes in Crystal Lake. Eberhard is
doing a GREAT JOB on the Rakow Road Project & a trail to Walmart.
·
Crystal Lake has a new brochure BIKE
TO METRA thanks to the efforts of Eberhard Viet.
·
Deborah Fagan from DuPage County
shared a quick update “work on the IPP bridge in Wayne over
the EJ&E is under construction. The approval from the railroad
was secured the end of March.
REGIONAL TRAIL NEWS:
·
Bev mailed letters to IDOT regarding projects
on Route 22 from Quentin Road to IL83 in Lake County. & one
in Kankakee County along Highway 17 down by the Kankakee
River Trail asking for wide shoulders and reminding them that
Legislation has passed for Complete Streets that requires that any
roadway improvement consider pedestrians and cyclists.
·
Bev received letters of thanks for replies to
projects in Ford County & Iroquois County. Bev is
concerned that neither of these counties has a Greenways & Trails
Plan to identify any trail plans.
·
ITC Board Member Tim Bartlett from
Champaign/Urbana indicated that a 3rd offer to CSX
has been made by the Champaign County Design & Conservation
Foundation to provide for a trail.
·
Sherry Kane from CMAP asked for ITC
information so we can continue assistance about trails.
·
Greg Valent from Chicago shared a
·
Bev attended a meeting at the Winnebago
County Forest Preserve District regarding an update of the Boone
& Winnebago Regional Greenways Plan which she initially worked
on. This will be the 3rd. Gary McIntyre at
RMAP is doing a GREAT JOB with the Green Draft Scope of Work.
·
Bev is trying to smooth out some discord
between planners on the Kaskaskia Alliance Trail which would
connect the I & M Canal to the Hennepin Canal. Eric Oberg from
RTC is helping. Cooperation is the key to success in all
things and especially trails.
·
Trail cleanups have been very productive.
Long Prairie Trail, Illinois Prairie Path and the Great
Western Trails have been cleaned for Earth Day. Sheriff
Zaruba in DuPage County was especially helpful according to
Don Kirchenberg.
STATE TRAIL NEWS:
·
Bev attended Conservation Congress
in Springfield on April 13, 2010. The funding session that I
attended urged us to support “dedicated funding” which would be
provided by increased IDNR fees. Governor Quinn signed an
EXECUTIVE ORDER TO PROMOTE CLEAN WATER, OUTDOOR RECREATIONAL SPACE
AND YOUTH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION INTIATIVES. Bev shared
her concern that this would only work if “dedicated funding” was
DEDICATED and not moved into the General Fund which has previously
occurred. She followed her concerns up with a letter to Marc
Miller and a copy to the Governor. Bev has a MISSION to let
Legislators know that DEDICATED SHOULD BE DEDICATED…..not up
for grabs when they want to spend money on other things.
·
Bev attended the Greenways & Trails
Council Meeting in Springfield on April 21 where we received a
list of the RTP Grant Applications that totaled $1,914,880.
Bev asked if these funds will actually be paid out to sponsors and
not leave them holding the bag at reimbursement time. Bev was
assured that YES THEY WOULD RECEIVE THE FUNDS. 33 Applications
for the Bike Path Grants were received. Dave Sellman promised
to get Bev a copy of the list. Bev got more Region One Maps.
·
Bev attended the Inter Agency Bikeways
Working Group Council Meeting in Springfield on April 21 where
we were informed that ENHANCEMENTS APPLICATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE IN
MAY OR JUNE. YOU NEED TO GET YOUR PROJECT READY TO GO
QUICKLY BECAUSE YOU WILL ONLY HAVE 2 MONTHS TO COMPLETE THE
APPLICATION. Tim Milan said that 2 to 3 times more money
will be available for this round of Grants.
·
Bev attended the Route 66 Executive
Council Meeting in Bloomington on April 29. The Route 66
Concept Plan will be completed soon. Dick Westfall is
concerned that any bike trail projects along the corridor should
know that this will give them a high standing due to the plan being
regional not local.
·
COMPLETE STREETS LEGISLATION
is in place and IDOT IS REQUIRED BY LAW TO CONSIDER PEDESTRIANS &
CYCLISTS WHENEVER AN IMPROVEMENT OR REPLACEMENT IS MADE.
·
MUTCD manual will be adopted by Illinois
hopefully SOON. Deborah Fagan from DuPage shared this
information with Bev which was verified by Gary McIntyre at RMAP in
Rockford.
NATIONAL TRAIL NEWS:
·
Bev received a letter from Senator
Richard J. Durbin thanking her for contacting him regarding the
Clean Low-Emission Affordable New Transportation Efficiency Act.
CLEAN-TEA S.575.
·
RAILS TO TRAILS
shared that 47 congressional members have co-sponsored HR 4722, the
Active Community Transportation Act of 2010. RTC is hopeful
that more communities will secure funding to promote walking and
bicycling thanks to TIGER II guidelines. The final joint
notice of TIGER II by USDOT and HUD is expected by late May.
Pre-applications will be due July 16. Final applications will
be due August 23 and Grant winners are expected to be notified by
September 15.
IN APRIL ITC,
· Created APRIL TRAIL NEWS and e-mailed more than 133 copies, printed and mailed 76 copies.
· Received $100.00 Trailblazer Renewals from Patrick Cosgrove in Waukegan, Patricia & Mark Tooren in Palatine and John Wilson at Lan Oak Park District in Lansing.
· Plans to host an exhibit at Boone County Fair in August 2010 & attend Greenways & Trails Conference in Chattanooga in November 2010.
· Received address changes for Patrick Cosgrove in Waukegan and Maurice Gianesin in Rockford.
· Received an article from Jean Collins in Western Springs about the SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS walking bus.
· Cathy Winslow from Galena gave Bev a Calendar of Events for Galena. FUN PLACE TO DO FUN THINGS.
·
ITC NEEDS A BOARD MEMBER FROM SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS. Contact Bev if you can help out.
SORRY FOR THE EXTRA PAGE.
IT HAS BEEN A BUSY MONTH.
· *May 1, Canal Corridor Assn. Walk or Ride on the I & M Canal Register at http://www.lasallecanalboat.org/specialevents.html or call 815-223-1851 to request a mailed form.
· *May 7 – Mule Tender’s Friday Lunch & Boat Ride on the I & M Canal. Call 815-220-1848 for more.
· *May 8 – Boat Rides on the I & M Canal. $39.95 per person. Call 815-220-1848 for reservations.
· *May 9 – Mothers Day Special Breakfast & Boat Ride on the I & M Canal.
· May 11 – BRATS Meeting in Wheaton – Find out more about the Cal Sag Trail from Diane Banta
· May 19 – Ride of Silence in Joliet to honor the memory of Jan Briese who was killed while riding her bike on May 26,2005 and other cyclists killed or injured by a motorist. Ride starts at 6:45 at the Joliet Memorial Stadium.
· * 10th Anniversary Celebrations of the GIT GRAND ILLINOIS TRAIL
· June 5 – NATIONAL TRAILS DAY event at Waterfall Glen sponsored by DuPage County Forest Preserve.
· *June 5-6 – Mississippi Adventure Day – Kayak, hike & bike. Call 815-776-9425 for information.
· *June 5-6 – Bike or Scooter to Galena Cellars Winery Call 815-776-9425 for information
· June 5 – Indiana-Illinois bike trail connection Event. Contact is at http://www.cc4cc.org for more info.
· June 12-13 – TOUR DE FARMS RIDE See BIKEMSILLINOIS.ORG for more information
· *June 12-13 – TOMRV, QuadCities BC
· *June 13-18, 2010 GITAP RIDE – Contact Chuck Oestrich @ chuckace2@gmail.com for information.
· June 19 – 10th ANNUAL PIE RIDE in Janesville, Wisconsin. Visit www.pieride.org for information.
· June 19-20 – NATIONAL 24 HOUR CHALLENGE BICYCLE RIDE. IN Middleville, Michigan. Call 616-656-0275
· *June 20 – Ride the River, River Action
· June 27 – 41st Annual Swedish Days Ride sponsored by Fox Valley Bicycle and Ski Club. fvbsclub@hotmail.com
· *July 17 – Jo Davies Natural Area Guardians Nature Walk. Call 815-777-6932 for more information
· *August – Quad Cities Marathon
· *September 18 – Midwest Health & Fitness Center 6th Annual 5K Walk Run. Start at 9 a.m.. Call 815-777-4960
· *September 18 – Fever River Adventure Triathlon – 6 mile paddle, 17 mile bike ride and 3.1 mile run. Call Deb Malone @ 815-776-9425
· October 21 – Public Meeting for the Environmental Literacy of Illinois Strategic Plan in Lisle
· October 23 – Harvest Fest in Belvidere a Fundraiser for Riverfront Development of the Trail – 9:00-5:00
· Nov. 14-17 – 20th American Trails National Symposium in Chattanooga, Tennessee email symposium@americantrails.org to register.
OTHER INFORMATION AVAILABLE AT ITC:
includes NATURAL LAND INSTITUTE IN ROCKFORD,
OUTDOOR ILLINOIS MAGAZINE from IDNR, TRAIL NET IN ST. LOUIS, RAILS
TO TRAILS, Illinois Bicyclist from League of Illinois Bicyclists,
Friends of the Parks in Chicago, ILLINOIS PRAIRIE PATH NEWSLETTER,
Police Officers Untrained on Bicycle Laws, ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL
COUNCIL, National Park Service & Home of the Hollywood Sign.