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East Belleville Bikeway

Congratulations to the city of Belleville for completing the East Belleville Bikeway. The two-mile trail connects to existing trails to form the Richland Greenway and to the MetroLink Trail. You now can bike seven miles one-way on trails and designated bike routes from the corner of Cleveland Avenue and Third Street to Southwestern Illinois College.

Richland Creek, from which the greenway gets its name, will never be known as one of America' Scenic Waterways, but the trail will become more attractive as the vegetation taken out by trail construction returns and the greenway matures.

The neatest part of the trails are the underpass that takes cyclists under Illinois 159 along Richland Creek and the sculptures in the parks. My favorite sculptures are the one featuring two bicycles and the other portraying a farmer.

Generally speaking, it's an enjoyable ride, but I would like to see a couple of improvements. I'd like to see the city install a crosswalk signal at Main and Sixth streets so users can safely cross Main Street while using the trail. I'd also like to see the city sweep the loose gravel from the Fourth Street alley the trail shares near Hough Park because the loose gravel can be hazardous for road bikes.

Still, I commend the city of Belleville for making the effort, and I hope the greenway will be so popular that municipal officials in St. Clair County will be encouraged to make more accommodations for cyclists.

Roger 0 comments 12:45 PM