OCTOBER 2009 TRAIL NEWS

 

A VERY CLOSE CALL HAPPENED:

SEPTEMBER 15 – Senator McCain from Arizona & Senator Coburn from Oklahoma put forth Bills to remove Enhancement Funds from Transportation Budget – SEPTEMBER 16 – Bills were DEFEATED 39-59 AND 41-57. SEPTEMBER 17 – Bev sent a packet of information to Senator McCain regarding TRAILS, A BENEFIT TO YOUR STATE. Bev could not find contact information for Senator Coburn. WHY??


ITC ACTIONS IN A VERY BUSY & STRESSFUL SEPTEMBER INCLUDE:

  • September 1 - Created and Distributed 218 issues of TRAIL NEWS to ITC MEMBERS. YEAH WE GREW! Can you help by encouraging a friend to become a member. This will help us continue our mission to encourage communities to build, connect and maintain more recreation trails for all of us.

  • September 1 – Received e-mail from Tommy at American Bike Trails sharing how much he has enjoyed getting his bike out and trying out the trails. Bev loves hearing about how much we all love the trails.

  • September 1 – Received notice of the OHV (Off-Highway Vehicle Trails) Board meeting on Sept. 4.

  • September 2 – Received e-mail from Jerald Huffman about the poor conditions of the I & M Canal between Joliet Junction and the Rock Run Greenway. Bev passed the information on to IDNR in Springfield.

  • September 3 – Ted Villaire, Author of 60 Hikes within 60 Miles of Chicago sent Bev a draft of the “foreward” that he will be using for the book. Bev proofed it and added one word. It is GREAT!

  • September 3- Picked up Bruce Perry & Diana Cooper in Joliet from their participation on the Route 66 Ride.

  • September 4 – Received Recreational Trails Program and Transportation Enhancement Update. Rescission of Unobligated Balances of Contract Authority is due to be listed on Notice N4510710 on the FHWA web site.

  • September 4 – Mailed an ITC shirt to Phil Mahler in Lincoln. Lincoln hosted the Route 66 Riders.

  • September 8 – Received a reminder from Amy Madigan regarding the Mid-America Trails & Greenways Conference in Kalamazoo, Michigan on October 25-28.

  • September 8 – Received a notice from Tami Evans in Springfield about the Conservation Congress.

  • September 8 – Mailed a copy of Peter Botzek’s short story “Bicycling: the Sport of Entertainment” to Eric Oberg in Ohio Rails to Trails office and asked if it could be published in RTC magazine.

  • September 8 – Paid for ITC Liability Insurance with McKay Insurance Agency. $273.00 for Annual Premium.

  • September 14 – Received e-mail from Marla Gursh about all the great media articles from the Route 66 Ride.

  • September 14 – Received a notice from Felicia Young about a (STEP) Share the Surface Transportation Environment and Planning Cooperative Research Program Federal Register Notice. Bev e-mailed her back about our ITC videos that we are producing about Trails in Illinois.

  • September 14 – Received e-mail from John Barrett about how he “walked” the Grand Illinois Trail at 2.2 mph and enjoyed every minute of the 82 days. Check out www.trailjournals.com/slowwalkerGIT to see more.

  • September 15 – Received URGENT ALERT from RTC about word that Senators Tom Coburn & John McCain just issuing amendments to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations that would remove funding for rail-trails, bicycling and walking. We were urged to contact our Legislators.

  • September 16 – Received e-mail from Christopher Douwes at FHWA that shared numbers of the defeat of the amendments. He also indicated that the video project would not qualify for the STEP Program.

  • September 17 – Bev wrote a letter to Senator McCain outlining the Benefits of Trails and sent him a copy of December 2008 TRAIL NEWS that indicated ITC member Tom Callum from Wheaton who rides his bicycle to Arizona for the winter. TRAILS ARE INDEED TRANSPORTATION.

  • September 17 – Received notice from RTC thanking all for helping to defeat the amendments and share Senators who voted against them. Dick Durbin & and Roland Burris from Illinois were at the top of the list.

  • September 17 – Received the Press Release that Governor Quinn Announced 27 Communities to Receive Grants for Alternative Transportation & Beautification Projects to the tune of $22,700,300.00 WOW

  • September 18 – Bev & friend Rich took a very rough ride out of Pecatonica on the Prairie Path to the construction site on Highway 20 where the Trail will eventually go under the road. BIG PROJECT WOW.

  • September 21 – Attended the meeting of the McHenry Bicycle Advocates who are working on a brochure about the most comfortable routes in Crystal Lake area to the Metra Stations. Also saw the DRAFT of the Crystal Lake Community bicycle & pedestrian plan. ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION IS IMPORTANT.

  • September 22 – Attended the RMAP meeting regarding updating the Boone & Winnebago Regional Greenways & Trails Plan. This would be the third update of the plan that Bev originally coordinated.

    ITC ACTIONS IN SEPTEMBER CONTINUED:

  • September 22 – Mailed a letter to IDOT commending the RMAP project and stressing the need to update plans.

  • September 22 – Mailed a letter to City of Crystal Lake extolling the assets of McHenry County Bicycle Advocates and the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan

  • September 23 – RSVP’d Invitation to attend Friends of the Hennepin Canal Annual Meeting

  • September 24 – Attended the McHenry County Conservancy District Ribbon Cutting for the Woodstock Trail.

  • September 24 – Forwarded e-mail from Denise Maxwell to ITC Board Member Greg Luttrell

  • September 24 – Mailed a letter to US Dept. of the Interior National Park Service thanking them for including ITC in their project list for 2010. Diane Banta from the Chicago office submitted the information.

  • September 24 – Received a card from Sylvia Staub “Willow” who I met on the Route 66 Ride.

  • September 25 – Received a packet of information from Todd Volker regarding the plans for the Kaskaskia Alliance Trail connection between the Hennepin Canal and the I & M. Canal.

    ITC BOARD MEMBERS ARE BUSY WORKING FOR YOU:

  • Tim Bartlett from Urbana plans to attend ITC Annual Meeting in Normal

  • George Burrier from Peoria & Sandy will be in West Virginia at the New River Gorge Natl. Park as Hosts.

  • Kyle Harfst in Carbondale plans to attend the ITC Annual Meeting in Normal

  • Bob Hargis from Ohio contacted Ohio Legislators & urged his brother in So. Dakota to do so also regarding the amendments brought forward by Senators McCain & Coburn. 2 Nays from Ohio, 2 from Illinois – GOOD

  • Patrick Hartman from Freeport plans to attend ITC Annual Meeting in Normal

  • Ray Hoven from Gurnee researched the mileage for ITC Board Members and found that Normal was best.

  • Greg Luttrell from Granite City plans to attend the ITC Annual Meeting in Normal

  • Bruce Perry from Port Byron is formulating plans for a tenth anniversary celebration Party for GIT with MRT

  • Diana Cooper – ITC Staff Person from Rockton shared two of her college essays with Bev. One was about the Route 66 Ride and the other about how bicycling saves the environment. Bev sent them to Senator McCain.

    ITC MEMBERS ARE ACTIVE AND SO VERY SUPPORTIVE….

  • Peter Botzek from Chicago sent Bev the wonderful short story “Bicycling; the Sport of Entertainment”. Bev also shared this with Senator McCain. Peter has logged many bicycle miles in downtown Chicago.

  • Bill Bruse from Petersburg had difficulty with his computer but finally got TRAIL NEWS and shared it with his staff to show them what a good report looks like, items brief & bulleted, details as needed & dated. WOW.

  • Bob Clay from Bloomington shared a newspaper article about the Route 66 Ride from Bloomington.

  • Julie Colby from Danville is excited about the Mayor asking for a study on bicycling needs in Vermilion County. She has also offered to report on public meetings for the Kickapoo Trail from Danville to Urbana.

  • Jean Collins from Western Springs sent a thank you card for hospitality at Side By Side Cycle.

  • Bob Dittrich from Schaumburg asked to be connected to Albert Whetter re routes from Chicago to Wisconsin

  • Deborah Fagan from DuPage County Planning shared the good news about Enhancement Funds from the Governor’s Office. DuPage received $601,000.00. DuPage also has a wonderful Trail Maintenance Policy.

  • Jim Gehrke from Lake in the Hills commented that he had never seen so many people as there were on the Long Prairie Trail on Labor Day. The weather was beautiful and the trail users were bountiful.

  • Louise Grobl from Naperville shared that the Great Western trail to Sycamore was in great shape. She also found the washed out area on the I & M Canal and reported it to IDNR. There is a way around the washout. She asked Bev for information about reporting dog attacks on roads. Bev shared what she had from Albert Whetter.

  • Gordon James from Elgin sent Bev a newspaper article about the Sterns Bridge project along the Prairie Path

  • Sylvia Kellog from Hinsdale sent Bev minutes of the September 8 meeting of the BRATS in Wheaton.

  • Ken Lawrence from Oregon also had problems getting TRAIL NEWS. Says Bev is doing the job of 10.

  • Phil Meyers from Durand asked about the Route 66 roads. Bev sent him info from the media ride.

  • Bruce Nelson from Burr Ridge is pleased with the Centennial Trail in Romeoville where one can observe a Heron rookery but is concerned about the poor conditions of the I & M Canal in Lockport.

  • Mike Rucker from Peoria still needs volunteers for the Duryea Days in Peoria Heights.

  • Starved Rock Cycle Group also had problems getting TRAIL NEWS last month.

  • Bill Tornow from El Paso had difficulty opening TRAIL NEWS last month. Hope this month works better.

  • Greg Valent from Chicago (ACE REPORTER FOR TRAILS) shared that Illinois Prairie Path, Geneva Branch from Kirk Rd. to East Side Drive is newly repaved. Evanston received $720,000.00 Enhancement.

  • Albert Whetter from Western Springs sent Bob Dittrich 2 pages of directions to the Bear Skin Trail in Wisc.

  • Eberhard Veit from Crystal Lake is doing a FANTASTIC job with bike & pedestrian planning in McHenry County as well as Crystal Lake. See his video on You Tube at www.youtube.com/watch?v=L72Mfz84xFQ

    OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU

  • October 1 – OPEN HOUSE on the Master Plan for St. James Farm – 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Forest Preserve Headquarters, 3S580 Naperville Road in Wheaton

  • October 3 – Get your Kicks on Route 66 – 11:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. See www.confluencegreenways.org

  • October 4 – Friends of the Hennepin Canal Annual Meeting. 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

  • October 9 & 10 – Duryea Days in Peoria Heights. Contact Mike Rucker at Mikruc@aolcom for info.

  • October 11 – Ride the Rivers Century – Contact amyschmidt@trailnet.org for more information.

  • October 13 – BRATS MEETING at 7:30-9:00 Wheaton Park District Community Center

  • October 17 – HARVEST FESTIVAL at the Nygren Wetland Preserve. See www.naturalland.org for more.

  • October 17-18 – TRAIL OF HISTORY at Glacial Park in Ringwood. See www.MCCDistrict.org for more

  • October 24-25 – Conservation Congress – Call 217-333-7369 or 877-455-2687 for more information.

  • October 25 -28 - MID AMERICA TRAILS AND GREENWAYS CONFERENCE IN KALAMAZOO.

  • November 8 – ITC ANNUAL MEETING IN NORMAL @ Ecology Action Center @ 10:00 a.m.

  • November 10 – Deadline for Proposals for Operator for the Eagle Creek Resort & Conference Center on Lake Shelbyville in Eagle Creek State Recreation Area.

  • May & June 2010 – 10th Anniversary Celebrations of the GIT GRAND ILLINOIS TRAIL.


ITC HAS NEWSLETTERS TO SHARE FROM: The Confluence, in St. Louis, TRAILNET in St. Louis, Friends of the Parks in Chicago, Natural Land Institute in Rockford, MeHenry County Pedaler, Outdoor Illinois from IDNR and Rails to Trails in Washington DC.


CONTACT ILLINOIS TRAILS CONSERVANCY at www.ILLTrails.com or Bev at bebomoore@aol.com regarding anything mentioned in TRAIL NEWS. The address is P.O. Box 10 - Capron, Illinois 61012 & the phone number is 815-569-2472 or cell 815-289-1024 with fax 815-569-2976.