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Bicycle route proposed for Route 66

The League of Illinois Bicyclists wants local governments to get behind a plan to create a bicycle route along historic Route 66 all the way from Chicago to St. Louis.

Ed Barsotti, LIB's executive director, told the Pontiac (Ill.) Daily Leader on Tuesday that "of all the requests we receive for route suggestions, Route 66 is number one. Bicyclists from Illinois to Europe are interested in Route 66."

The Daily Leader also published a story Wednesday about the Route 66 bike route in Lexington County, Ill.

"The Route 66 project consists of two separate stages," Barsotti noted in response to an e-mail inquiry from the Daily Leader. "First is to identify a 'best available route' that cyclists (and others) could use NOW. The second is a coordination of local agencies to plan for Route 66 improvements that would be implemented over time. We (League of Illinois Bicyclists) are working with IDNR (Illinois Department of Natural Resources) and local folks (agencies, citizens) on the first stage.

"The output will be a touring guidebook detailing the route and all its turns; accommodations like motels, food, etc.; and some brief info on interesting Route 66 attractions along the way. We've already created similar guidebooks for the "Grand Illinois Trail" (www.bikelib.org/trails/git) and "Illinois' Mississippi River Trail" (www.bikelib.org/mrt).

"The audience we're focusing on are average adult bicyclists who are fairly comfortable on roads, as long as the traffic volume is low enough. The vast majority of the route will be on-road, plus any off-road bike trails that presently exist (such as in Lexington). The preference is to use the existing historic signed route. Where traffic is above a certain level, we'll use alternative paved roads."

Of course, the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, which used to carry Route 66 drivers from St. Louis into Illinois, is now open to bicyclists and pedestrians. Much of Madison County Transit's trail system is roughly parallel to Route 66 between the bridge and Illinois Route 157 (also part of old Route 66) between Edwardsville and Hamel.

It will be interesting to see the route LIB comes up with. I'm particularly interested in how cyclists will be routed from Joliet to the eastern end of Route 66 in downtown Chicago.

Roger 1 comments 1:07 PM

Comments:

Mr. Kramer...It will be nice to see a Route 66 trail...I'm in Chicago and know Ed B. well...we've worked on a few trail projects up here. I've heard about pieces around Bloomington under design/construction?
Sifting through your blog I see you know the Schell's, well at least Wayne of Jerseyville...I know about 7 of that clan but not Wayne well...good to hear he's still playing/singing...all the best.
Marty

# posted by  Bike : 4:22 PM

 

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