Confluence Trail Receives $165,000 Bike Path Grant, Others Also Announced

SPRINGFIELD – Governor JB Pritzker today announced $885,300 in grants for seven local projects that will help communities develop and improve bike path facilities throughout Illinois. Madison County Mass Transit District - Confluence Trail and St. Clair County Transit District - Old Collinsville Road Trail were included.

"This project will receive $165,000 to construct a 0.5-mile trail improvement that begins near the westerly end of the pedestrian bridge over Wood River and ends just west of the wooden structure under a conveyor, Governor JB Pritzker said. "The existing 22.9-mile Madison County Mass Transit (MCT) Confluence Trail begins at the McKinley Bridge in Venice and runs northerly along the Mississippi River to Russell Commons Park in Alton.

"The Confluence Trail is a 10-foot wide asphalt or gravel surface. Once this 0.5-mile trail section is complete, residents of and visitors to Madison County will benefit by having additional all-weather surfaced trail as part of the 137-mile MCT Trail System."

St. Clair County Transit District (St. Clair County) – Old Collinsville Road Trail, Phase 3
This project will receive $200,000 to construct a 10-foot-wide approximately 0.8-mile section of asphalt paved shared-use trail, located along the west side of Old Collinsville Road from Munie Road to Frank Scott Parkway East.

“As we head into the warmer months, families across Illinois will spend more time outdoors on the state’s bike paths,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “These grants provide critical funding for local governments to develop or improve existing bike baths, a good investment in safe transportation that also expands local recreation opportunities.”

“Bike paths provide a safe public space for residents, families and visitors to be physically active and enjoy the outdoors,” said Sen. Rachelle Crowe (D-Glen Carbon). “This investment in the Old Collinsville Trail shows our state’s commitment to offering residents more opportunities for recreation, attracting visitors to our area and boosting local economies.”

Funds for the Bicycle Path Grant Program, administered by Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), are for the acquisition of land or development of facilities for bicycle paths. The Bicycle Path Grant Program was approved by the Illinois General Assembly in 1989 and funding comes from a percentage of motor vehicle title fees. The program provides a maximum grant award of $200,000 per application for development projects, with no maximum grant award limit for acquisition projects.

The Bicycle Path Notice of Funding Opportunity received a total of 33 applications totaling $4.9 million in requested funds. Since 1990, IDNR has awarded grants that have helped develop nearly 1,000 miles of local government bicycle trails in Illinois.

A list of this year’s Bicycle Path grants, grant recipients, and project information from outside the area are below:

FY21 Bicycle Path Grants

Carol Stream Park District (DuPage County) – Mitchell Lake Park Trail
This project will receive $180,000 to renovate a 0.95-mile, 8-foot-wide existing asphalt trail adjacent Mitchell Lake Park. (Contact: Jim Reuter, 630-784-6100)

Decatur Park District (Macon County) – Stevens Creek Bikeway Phase II
This project will receive $57,500 to acquire 31.7 acres of land located in northwest portion of Decatur. The land will allow for access to the current 10-foot-wide asphalt bike trail, which is 9.8 miles long with an additional 1.5 miles under development. The land acquisition will help complete the final 2 miles of the Stevens Creek Bikeway. (Contact: William Clevenger, 217-422-5911)

DuPage County Forest Preserve District (DuPage County) – Springbrook Prairie Trail: Brighton Ridge Connector
This project will receive $100,000 to construct a 10-foot-wide, 0.25-mile limestone pedestrian and bicycle trail along the forest preserve right-of-way on the east side of Naperville-Plainfield Road. The trail will connect a municipal sidewalk along the Brighton Ridge subdivision to a limestone trailhead parking lot in the forest preserve. The project will also modify the trailhead, which serves two loop trails within Springbrook Prairie Forest Preserve, as well as connecting to the Southern DuPage Regional Trail and other regional trails beyond. (Contact: Ed Stevenson, 630-933-7200)

McHenry County Conservation District (McHenry County) – Prairie Trail Ringwood Renovation
This project will receive $50,000 for renovations between Barnard Mill Road and the pedestrian bridge that is approximately 0.25 miles south in Ringwood, Illinois. The project involves reestablishing the storm sewer outlet, re-grading the existing ditch, repairing trail erosion, resurfacing the 8-foot-wide asphalt trail, and restoring the turf shoulders to improve drainage. (Contact: Elizabeth Kessler, 815-338-6223)

Zion Park District (Lake County) – Edina Trail Renovation and Resurfacing
This project will receive $132,800 to resurface 1.5 miles of 8-foot-wide asphalt trail. The project also includes updating roadway crosswalks with ADA concrete curb ramps, providing trail entry and crossing signs, a bike repair station, and improving drainage with culvert and riprap replacement at drainage crossings. (Contact: Marilyn Krieger, 847-746-5500)

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