Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Trail closures in the St. Louis area

There are some trail closures you should be aware of if you live in the St. Louis area:


OLD CHAIN OF ROCKS BRIDGE: Because of icy conditions at the Missouri parking lot for the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, Trailnet has decided to close access for the bridge for now. This time of year, the Mississippi River bridge is a favorite spot for watching bald eagles. No word on when the bridge may reopen. The historic old Route 66 bridge is owned by the city of Madison, Ill., and operated by Trailnet, an organization whose goal is to promote healthy living in the St. Louis area.

MCT NICKEL PLATE TRAIL: This isn't new news, but Madison County Transit's Nickel Plate Trail is closed at South Buchanan Street in Edwardsville and probably will remain closed until late year. MCT is constructing an underpass below the busy street to improve access to the Nickel Plate Trail, which continues east to Fruit Road northeast of Edwardsville, and the Quercus Grove Trail, which links Edwardsville, Hamel, Worden and Staunton. MCT also is building a park-and-ride lot at Buchanan Street. MCT has not posted an official detour for the trail.

RICHLAND CREEK GREENWAY TRAIL: The western terminus of Belleville's Richland Creek Greenway Trail at Third and Cleveland streets may be closed from time to time because of replacement of the Cleveland Street bridge. The six-mile trail connects South Side Park and Southwestern Illinois College.

Labels: Illinois, Missouri, Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, trails

Roger 3 comments 12:25 PM

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Meetings on Route 66 Trail

Bicycle advocates in Macoupin and Montgomery counties are seeking your support of a proposal to convert a portion of an old alignment of historic Route 66 between Staunton and Litchfield, Ill., into a bicycle trail.

This particular alignment -- the final alignment of Route 66 used before the completion of Interstate 55 -- was a four-lane divided highway between the two communities and also skirted the community of Mount Olive. Today, only two of the lanes are being used. The other two lanes, which are paved with concrete, are partly covered with dirt and grass, which can be easily removed to reveal the concrete surface.

Trail advocates will be meeting Thursday (Jan. 14) with the Route 66 Trail Southern Region Committee to show their support for the bicycle trail. The meeting takes place at 10 a.m. in Room L104 of the Administration Building at the Lincoln Land Community Southern Region Education Center, 1 Lincoln Land Trail in Litchfield.

The Southern Region Committee is expected to bring its recommendation to the Route 66 Trail Executive Council meeting at 10 a.m. Jan. 21 at the Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington.

The advocates, led by Macoupin County native John Fritsche, is asking individuals, village boards and city councils, school districts, counties and chambers of commerce to support the bicycle trail. Here's a sample resolution that people can use to show their support:

"I or We, hereby endorse and support the development of a 17 mile Historic Route 66 Recreational Trail from Staunton through Mt Olive to Litchfield for the health and welfare of the citizenry in our region.  This unique trail would utilize the long abandoned and unused northbound lane of the Historic Route 66 “Mother Road” from Staunton, through Mt.Olive to Litchfield, Illinois."

If you can't make it to the meetings, you can express your support of the trail project by writing John at hroute66rectrail@gmail.com


The Illinois Department of Natural Resources is working with the Route 66 Trail Executive Council to develop programs and projects along Route 66 alignments between Chicago and St. Louis.


The roadway where the trail is proposed still belongs to the Illinois Department of Transportation. One thing that should work in the trail advocates favor is that the current IDOT director, Gary Hannig, was a longtime state representative who served Macoupin and Montgomery counties.

Labels: advocacy, Illinois, Route 66, trails

Roger 1 comments 2:50 PM

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Effingham County wants bicycle trails

Effingham County, Ill., has two of the nation's best high school nicknames. Why shouldn't it have a first-class bicycle trail system as well?

In recent days, I've written about St. Louis' efforts to become a more bicycle-friendly, but as a small-town boy myself, I like to give credit to smaller communities that are trying to provide more opportunities for cyclists and pedestrians.

Today, I turn your attention to the efforts of Trail Recreation Effingham County (TREC) to develop a system of trails in the Central Illinois county.

Besides being the home of the Effingham High School Flaming Hearts, the city of Effingham is probably best known to travelers on Interstates 57 and 70 for its truck stops and its 198-foot-high cross. TREC is trying to make the city and county known for its bicycle trails.

Work already has started on the Calico Trail on the western edge of Effingham.. Future phases of the system would connect Effingham with Lake Sara, located just west of the city. In the long term, the system is intended to connect Effingham with other communities such as Dieterich, Altamont, Beecher City, Mason and Teutopolis -- the home of the Teutopolis High School Wooden Shoes. You can see the proposed trail system on this PDF map.

To pay for the trail system, TREC hopes to obtain grants from the Federal Highway Administration and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and solicit local cash or in-kind contributions to be used as the 10 percent match for the grants.

TREC already has the backing of the Effingham County Board, the city of Effingham and several other towns, businesses and individuals. As with any other trails project, there are concerns. Some Kingwood subdivision residents, while they are in favor of the trail in general, are opposed to a potential route through the subdivision. According to the Effingham Daily News, the concerns are similar to those of trail opponents elsewhere:

• Fear of decreased property values.
• An increase in litter.
• Increased danger of property damage and theft.
• Traffic and parking concerns along their one-lane street.
• Danger to children exposed to criminal activity.

The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation has a nice summary of studies that debunk many of the concerns. Closer to Effingham, Madison County Transit has found trails have been an asset to subdivisions.

"There was a time when residents saw a trail as an invasion of privacy," Jerry Kane, the managing director of MCT, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2006. "Now people see it as a huge improvement in the quality of life. They want connections to trails. They want to live near trails."

If TREC succeeds in its goal to develop trails in Effingham County, perhaps it will inspire other smaller communities to attempt similar projects.

Labels: Illinois, trails

Roger 2 comments 1:07 AM

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Lebanon, Ill., group looking for trailblazers

Do you want to be on the ground floor of planning a new bicycle trail?

A group of people from the Lebanon, Ill., area are forming a committee to study the possibility of a bicycle trail from Lebanon to O'Fallon, Ill. They also may consider another trail that would tie Lebanon to the Shiloh/Scott MetroLink station near Scott Air Force Base.

The committee will hold its first meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday (Sept. 24) in the basement of the Lebanon Visitor's Center, 211 W. St. Louis St. All people who are interested in bicycling in the Lebanon area are encouraged to attend.

In talking to Robert Wilhelm, who is spearheading the effort, he reminded me of something that I already knew from 10 years of holding the Tour de Stooges ride at McKendree University: There's only one safe way to get out of Lebanon.

Two major highways serve Lebanon: U.S. Route 50 and Illinois Route 4. Neither is particularly safe for cyclists because of almost non-existent shoulders and fast, heavy traffic. Although the Illinois Department of Transportation is resurfacing Route 4, I still wouldn't recommend it for cycling because the highway is a shortcut for truckers and other motorists between Interstate 55 and Interstate 64.

A cursory look at a map of the Lebanon area would tell you that Korte-Sewald Road heads southeast from the city. Well, that's not quite true. The railroad overpass on the southern edge of town has been closed for years.

That leaves one safe way out: Monroe Street/Widicus Road, the thoroughfare the Tour de Stooges used to get out and back into Lebanon during our time at McKendree. Monroe/Widicus takes you northwest of Lebanon to some wonderful cycling roads. The problem, though, is that you have to ride well out the way to get to nearby communities like O'Fallon, Shiloh and Mascoutah.

What Robert and other trail supporters are hoping to do is to start out with a trail from Lebanon to O'Fallon. One possibility is the old East St. Louis & Suburban Railway right-of-way, which provided Lebanon and O'Fallon with trolley service from 1903 until the late 1920s. Another possibility would involve College Road, which now heads west of Lebanon but ends at Silver Creek. At one time, it was a through road across the creek to Rieder Road.

Robert said the Metro-East Park and Recreation District has expressed interest in the project. If the district decides to pursue the money and obtain money, construction could begin in the next few years.

The other long-term trail proposal would go roughly along Rieder Road and take cyclists to the Shiloh/Scott MetroLink station. That would tie into a trail now on the drawing board that would link Shiloh, O'Fallon to the Madison County Transit Schoolhouse. The Metro-East Park and Recreation District and Madison County Transit has received money for the project, but they have hit a roadblock because much of the former railroad right-of-way that would be used for that trail now is in private hands, making it much more difficult and expensive to obtain the property.

St. Clair County is far behind neighboring Madison County in the number and miles of bicycle trails, and the Lebanon trail proposal would be a good way to start catching up. While I won't be at Thursday's meeting because of work, I encourage people interested in bicycling in Lebanon, O'Fallon and Shiloh to attend the meeting.

Labels: Illinois, trails

Roger 0 comments 12:40 AM

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Mother Road bike path gets support

In recent days, the Normal City Council approved a bicycling-pedestrian master plan, and the McLean County Board approved an engineering contract for a proposed Route 66 bikeway.

That's good news as far as the Bloomington (Ill.) Pantagraph is concerned. In an editorial Tuesday, the Pantagraph says: "Don't take this area's links to the Route 66 for granted. Appreciate the potential it offers for recreation and tourism."

On Tuesday, the McLean County Board approved a $170,000 engineering contract for a 3.5-mile section of the trail between west Bloomington and Shirley, a small town southwest of Bloomington on the Mother Road, the Pantagraph reported.

County Board member Don Cavallini said private financing was made available for a portion of the bikeway around Lexington, and board member Stan Hoselton said Chenoa received $300,000 for a portion near that community.

"If it's extended, it would be quite an additional asset to McLean County," Cavallini said.

McLean County has been committed to a Route 66 bikeway since 1999, when the county reached an intergovernmental agreement with communities along the Mother Road to build the bikeway.

County leaders anticipate the bikeway will become part of the Route 66 Trail, a system of trails and roads mapped by the League of Illinois Bicyclists that links St. Louis and Chicago. While most of the trail is on roads, including old alignments of Route 66, efforts are being made to create more trails.

For example, Madison County Transit had made it possible to ride from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge to Staunton, Ill., on bike trails or designation bike routes. Folks in neighboring Macoupin County are looking into turning unused pavement on an old Route 66 alignment between Staunton and Litchfield into a bike trail as well.

To draw attention to the potential of Route 66 as a cycling destination, LIB is putting on the 2009 Route 66 Trail Ride from Aug. 29 to Sept. 3. The tour is a loosely organized and self-supported ride with several events scheduled to discuss the trail.

Labels: League of Illinois Bicyclists, Route 66, trails

Roger 0 comments 11:40 AM

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Metro-east bicycling news

Here's a roundup of recent news involving bicycling in the Illinois counties of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, commonly known as the metro-east:

• Bicyclist dies while performing stunts: Jimmy Mullins of Red Bud, Ill., was killed Monday while performing stunts on his bicycle outside the Monroe County Courthouse in Waterloo. Mullins, 27, was known for performing jumps and tricks. Mullins had been performing tricks on a 20-inch Mongoose BMX bike on the lawn of the courthouse when he rode out at a high rate of speed in front of a parked sports utility vehicle and into traffic, Waterloo Police Chief Jim Trantham told the Belleville News-Democrat.

  No charges will be filed against the driver, a Missouri man who was in town on a fishing trip. He was not injured. "It was clearly not the driver's fault," Trantham said. "He could not avoid the bicycle, the way the bicyclist came out."

• Belleville to get new bicycle trail: It's not a very long trail -- one-quarter of a mile -- but the west end of Belleville is getting its first bicycle trail. Signal Hill Elementary School received a $250,000 grant to build the trail, which will link Foley Drive with Signal Hill Park. The trail is intended to give children safe access to walk or ride their bikes to Signal Hill Elementary and nearby Blessed Sacrament School, the Belleville News-Democrat reported.
  
  
• Work continues on Great River Road trail: The Illinois Department of Transportation is repaving Illinois Route 100 and the adjoining Sam Vadalabene Bicycle Trail between Alton and Grafton. The (Alton) Telegraph reports work will be continuing on the road and trail into October. Detours are being posted when necessary for the bike trail.
  
  
• Calhoun County pursues grant for bike trails: Calhoun County, nestled between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, is seeking a $20,000 grant for planning bicycle trails. Although the southern tip of the county only about 5 miles from St. Charles and St. Peters, Mo., as the crow flies, the county is relatively isolated because it is accessible from the rest of the St. Louis area only by one bridge across the Illinois River at Hardin and several ferries. Nevertheless, many cyclists have discovered the county because of its rural beauty. With about 5,100 residents, Calhoun County is the third-smallest county in Illinois.
  
  "We have bicyclists that already ride through the county, and our focus on biking/ hiking trails is on promoting health, economics, and safety of bicyclists and hikers in the county," Dale Hagen, a member of the county’s Calhoun Community Foundation, told The Telegraph. "While a bike trail might not bring in a lot of money from bicyclists right away, it might down the road, as people come to Calhoun County and see its beauty, and that might lead to other things."

Labels: fatal accidents, Illinois, trails

Roger 0 comments 12:10 PM

Saturday, August 08, 2009

Section of St. Louis Riverfront Trail to close

A short segment of the Riverfront Trail at Maline Creek will be closed for repairs for about 45 days starting sometime in early August, requiring riders to find alternative routes around the construction, which includes city of St. Louis streets.

Click on the image to download a map from the Great Rivers Greenway District.

The Maline Creek location is about 7 miles north of Biddle Street parking lot for the Riverfront Trail and about 4 miles south from the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.

The rest of the 11-mile Riverfront Trail remains open and is not affected by the construction. For questions or concerns about the closure, please call Grace Hill of AmeriCorps at 314-584-6703.

A tip of the helmet to St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation Executive Director Patty Vinyard for speading the word. Patty says the trail is open for the time being, but she says the closing is imminent as soon as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases a work order.

Labels: St. Louis, trails

Roger 0 comments 10:52 AM

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Katy Trail offshoot proposed

Officials in Portage des Sioux, Mo., are mulling an offshoot of the Katy Trail that would connect the Mississippi River community with the 225-plus mile trail.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the town's leaders are planning a meeting for 7 p.m. Monday at the Portage des Sioux City Hall to gauge reaction to the trail, which would take cyclists to the town's nature area that was created after the Flood of 1993.

A route has yet to be selected, but Mayor Mark Warner told the Post-Dispatch one logical choice would be a shoulder of a mile-long stretch of Payne Road between the town and the eastern tip of the Katy Trail in the Machens area.

Missouri officials are hoping to complete the Katy Trail between Machens and St. Charles by later this year.

Portage des Sioux is best known for the Our Lady of the Rivers statue, which overlooks the Mississippi River at the bluffs across the river near Elsah, Ill. The statue is the home of the annual Blessing of the Fleet. The statue was completed in 1957 after the community was spared by a flood in 1951.

While I think the spur to Portage des Sioux would be a great idea, I personally am in favor of a trail that would tie the Katy to the Clark Bridge in Alton, Ill., and tie the Katy into Madison County's extensive trail system.

Labels: Katy Trail, Missouri, trails

Roger 2 comments 11:12 AM

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Around the horn ... again

Here's a few items that might be of interest to St. Louis-area bicyclists:

Another bicycle-pedestrian crossing at Forest Park: As part of the reconstruction of Interstate 64-U.S. 40 in St. Louis, a new bicycle-pedestrian tunnel is linking linking Oakland Avenue to Forest Park. The tunnel replaces an older tunnel with sharp turns that had to be removed because of the reconstruction project.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the tunnel is not completely finished, but it's done enough that bicyclists and pedestrian can use the tunnel.

Bike trial proposal gets opposition: The Green Rivers Greenway District is seeking to build a $2 million, 2.6-mile trail from Greensfelder Park in University City to Shaw Park in Clayton. But it seems the project is being opposed by some people in the upscale suburb of Ladue.

The folks like the idea of bike paths, but they don't like the idea of the trail becoming a thoroughfare for bicyclists and pedestrians. You can see a video at KMOV-TV.

Before rejecting the trail out of hand, I would recommend opponents talk to people and businesses along the Katy Trail and the Madison County Trail system to get both sides of the story.

Tour of Missouri field gets a boost: Following the announcement of No. 1-ranked Quickstep’s participation recently, the current world No. 2-ranked team, Saxo Bank of Denmark, has been announced for the third Tour of Missouri professional cycling race, scheduled for Sept. 7-13, according to a press release from the Tour.

The addition of Saxo Bank, which is led by superstars Fabian Cancellara (Olympic and world champion time trialist) of Switzerland; brothers Frank and Andy Schleck (winner of last weekend’s Leige-Bastogne-Leige) of Luxembourg and Germany’s Jens Voigt, will mark the seventh entrant expected to line up at the 2009 Tour de France this summer. It will mark Saxo Bank’s first time racing at the Tour of Missouri.

Meanwhile, tour directors are seeking volunteers for the event. You can sign up for a wide range of jobs online.

Labels: St. Louis, Tour of Missouri, trails

Roger 1 comments 11:51 PM

Thursday, April 23, 2009

New Forest Park bike trail tunnel

For many, many years, cyclists and runners who used the 7.5-mile Forest Park Bike Trail in St. Louis had to navigate a hazardous intersection at Hampton Avenue to travel around the city's crown jewel park.

Those days are over. As part of the Interstate 64/U.S. 40 reconstruction project, a tunnel has been built so cyclists and runners can go beneath Hampton Avenue. The tunnel opened Tuesday, St. Louis Post-Dispatch transportation writer Elisa Crouch wrote in her Along for the Ride blog. You can see a photo of the tunnel there.

Labels: St. Louis, trails

Roger 1 comments 12:04 AM

Wednesday, April 01, 2009

10 Great American Bike Trails

I wasn't too surprised to see the Katy Trail made the list of 10 Great American Bike Trails recently published at Forbes Traveler and republished at USA Today. I rode the vast majority of the225-mile trail last summer from St. Charles, Mo., to Clinton, Mo., and it exceeded my expectations.

The article, written by Jeff Wallach, quotes Polly Mayberry of the Great Bicycle Trails Web site as saying: "As older riders, surface matters to us. We don’t want to ride a trail that’s too rough. The Katy Trail would be a ten because of the beauty of the territory and the trail surface—mostly of hard-packed limestone. It’s basically flat and it’s an easy ride for people of all ages. You can ride for mile after mile seeing nothing but country."

The other trails that made the list were:

• Hiawatha Trail, Idaho to Montana
  
• Underground Railroad Trail, from Mobile, Ala., to Owen Sound, Ontario
  
• Deschutes River Trail, Oregon
• Great Divide Trail, Roosville, Mont., to Antelope Wells, N.M.
• Trans-America Trail, Astoria, Ore., to Yorktown, Va. (The trail also goes through Missouri and Illinois)
• Slickrock Trail, Moab, Utah
• Green Mountains Loop, Vermont
• C&O Canal and Towpath and Great Allegheny Passage Trail, Washington, D.C., area
• Central Park Loop, New York City

If you want to see a short glimpse and a photo of each trail, go to Forbes Traveler's slideshow. Too bad I don't have the time or money to get to all of these great trails!

Labels: bicycling, touring, trails

Roger 1 comments 10:56 PM

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Money sought for bicycle/pedestrian projects

The Missouri Bicycle Federation is targeting Sen. Claire McCaskill in its effort to get divvy some of the money in the proposed economic stimulus bill to bicycle and pedestrian projects.

Why Sen. McCaskill? Because she expressed to MoBikeFed Executive Director Brent Hugh
that she thinks there is little support for bicycling and walking outside the big cities.

"The economic stimulus plan under consideration by Congress includes about
$30 billion for roads and highways," Brent wrote in a recent newsletter. "But there is a good chance that little or no money will be included for improving roads for bicycling and walking -- when we know federal and state funded roads are often the biggest dangers to walking and bicycling in Missouri."

Brent goes on to say: "You know that federal transportation funding and policy is one of the biggest reasons Missouri communities are unsafe/unfriendly for bicycling &
walking. Think of the state and federal highways where you live -- are they the best for bicycling and walking, or the worst?"

Last year, I reported that Missouri received a D from the MoBikeFed for its overall bicycle/pedestrian environment. Last year, I also reported that the League of American Bicyclists ranked 28th among Bicycle Friendly State; Illinois ranked 8th.

In case you want to contact the senator, you can reach her through the MoBikeFed's Web site. Of course, you're welcome to contact Missouri's senior senator, Christopher "Kit" Bond as well. Illinois residents can contact Sens. Richard Durbin and Roland Burris, and people in other state can contact their lawmakers. You can find a list of all the senators and links to their Web forms here: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Labels: advocacy, bicycling, Missouri, trails

Roger 0 comments 12:37 AM

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

More on MetroLink Bike Trail

After attending the public meeting Tuesday night about the extension of the MetroLink Bike Trail between the Belleville MetroLink station and the Memorial station, I'm persuaded that the $9 million project will be an asset for the communities of Belleville and Swansea.

Frankly, I was concerned about the project because of some serious design flaws on the existing MetroLink Trail between the Belleville station and Southwestern Illinois College and the Richland Creek Bikeway between the Belleville station and Third Street in Belleville. Those flaws include the lack of a safe way to cross Green Mount Road, excessively sharp turns in North End Park in Belleville and the use of square-off curbs on Second Street in Belleville.

The plans that I saw showed me that Thoovenot, Wade & Moerchen Inc., the engineering firm designing the project, had done its homework. Included in the project is an overpass at Illinois 159 (Illinois Street) , a busy four-lane highway. The trail also will go under existing overpasses at Illinois 161 and Sullivan Drive in Swansea and Frank Scott Parkway West in Belleville.

Trail users would be forced to cross Fullerton Road and Old Caseyville Road in Swansea. Fullerton can be busy at times, although not as bad as Green Mount Road, but there are some long stretches on the trail without stop signs, and that's a good thing for cyclists!

For the most part, the St. Clair County Transit District already owns the land because its part of the existing MetroLink right-of-way. Some land will need to be purchased at Illinois 159 to build the overpass.

In today's story about the meeting in the Belleville News-Democrat, some people expressed concerns about crime. "We love the bike path, but we're worried about what type of people can come through here," said Clarence Schaefer, 84.

Mike Barton, manager of Dutch Hollow Village, told the News-Democrat he doesn't want people trespassing through village property and has asked project managers to consider placing the path on the other side of the MetroLink tracks.

"Instead of crossing at Memorial station, it can cross at the Swansea station," Barton said. "You can see how close the homes are on this side compared to the other side."

I would recommend that people who have concerns about crime or property values check out some the resources available, including a fact sheet from Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority (PDF) and the Web site for the Freinds of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail. Closer to home, many developers in the Edwardsville area have found that being near one of the Madison County Transit trails can be a major asset and have sought to make sure people in their subdivsions have easy assess to the trails.

Labels: Belleville, trails

Roger 0 comments 11:11 AM

Monday, January 05, 2009

MetroLink Bike Trail extension hearing set for Tuesday

The St. Clair County Transit District will hold an informational meeting Tuesday about the proposed extension of the walking and biking trail along the MetroLink light-rail tracks, the Belleville News-Democrat reports.

The meeting will be from 4:30 to 7 p.m. in the community room at High Mount School at 1721 Boul Ave. in Swansea, Ill. All people who are interested in the project are encouraged to attend the meeting to talk to representatives of the district and the engineers of the project.

The proposal includes a trail that will follow MetroLink from North End Park in Belleville through the Swansea MetroLink Station in Swansea and to the Memorial Hospital MetroLink Station in Belleville.

I suggest that if you care about bicycle trails in St. Clair County -- we're miles and miles behind neighboring Madison County -- you attend the meeting and give the district and engineers some input. Let's hope some of the design flaws in the current trails that serve Belleville can be avoided this time around.

Labels: Belleville, trails

Roger 0 comments 5:17 PM

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Mixed bag on state park, historic site closings

Users of the Hennepin Canal Trail and the I&M Trail are happy that the two Northern Illinois trails have been spared from budget cuts that would have closed or limited access to the trails starting Monday morning.

Hennepin Canal Trail State Park, Channahon Parkway State Park and Gebhard Woods State Park were saved from closing earlier this month when Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich used his amendatory veto power to keep the parks open. The Illinois General Assembly had approved $2.1 million to keep 11 state parks and 12 state historic sites open, but Blagojevich decided to use the money to keep the only three parks listed above plus Kickapoo State Park open.

The League of Illinois Bicyclists was among the groups that pushed to keep Hennepin, Channahon and Gebhard Woods open. The League pointed out that by closing the Hennepin Canal Trail, the state would have been in danger of losing federal transportation money, which was used to build the trail and other state projects.

But as an Illinois history buff of sorts, I'm saddened that several historic sites in Southern Illinois were not spared. Among the sites that will close Monday are the Cahokia Courthouse in St. Clair County, Fort de Chartres, Fort Kaskaskia and the Pierre Menard home in Randolph County and the Vandalia State House in Fayette County.

The first four sites preserve key parts of Illinois' history before it became a state, even as far back as when the French, then the British, governed Illinois.

Kaskaskia was Illinois' first state capital, followed by Vandalia, before the capital moved to Springfield.

I realize the state is in the midst of a budget crisis, but I wish Blagojevich would have had a little more regard for the history of the state in chosing the sites that will be closed.

Labels: bicycling, Illinois, League of Illinois Bicyclists, trails

Roger 2 comments 8:37 PM

Saturday, September 06, 2008

Notes from the Illinois cycling scene

Some random notes about cycling in Illinois:

BRAKELESS BIKES: Last Sunday, the Chicago Tribune wrote about the fixed-gear bike trend, and newspapers throughout the country are picking up the story.

There's just one problem: Riding a bicycle without brakes on streets and highways is illegal in Illinois.

Nevertheless, many cyclists are jumping onto fixed-gear bikes because they see them as a pure form of cycling. Critics say running fixed-gear bikes on the street without brakes are a traffic hazard.

BIKE TRAIL TO CLOSE: Thanks to Gov. Rod Blagojevich's round of state budget cuts, 11 state parks are slated to close, including the Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park, Channahon Parkway State Park, Gebhard Woods State Park in Morris and Illini State Park in Marseilles.

The Hennepin Canal Parkway is a 104.5-mile linear park that spans five counties (Rock Island, Bureau, Henry, Lee and Whiteside). The canal's towpath today is a popular destination for cyclists and is a part of the Grand Illinois Trail.

Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists, told the LaSalle News-Tribune that closing the trial could have a devastating impact on northern Illinois tourism. Barsotti told the paper that if the state allows the Hennepin Canal Parkway, which received federal funds for its construction as a bike path, to go into dispair, the federal government could withhold highway funds.

“The Hennepin Canal, also the I & M (Illinois and Michigan Canal), which is affected — that’s a major, major part, a highlight of the trail. And here we are, after making a huge investment. We’re going to lose that,” Barsotti told the paper. “I think the state has put too low of a priority on tourism in Illinois. Bicycling is one part of that, and it’s a growing interest throughout the country.”

The Lockport-based Canal Corridor Association says the Channahon and Gebhard Wood parks are major access points for users of the I&M Canal State Trail, a 61.5-mile trail from Rockdale to LaSalle that uses the old towpath for the I&M Canal, which links the Des Plaines and Illinois rivers.

The canals were built to link the Chicago area to the Mississippi River, ultimately to the Gulf of Mexico. Both became obsolete as barges became bigger and the larger Illinois Waterway, which connects the Des Plaines and Illinois rivers was completed.

The Canal Corridor Association is urging people to contact Blagojevich and state legislators to keep access to the trails open.

The budget cuts don't affect any trails in the metro-east, but they also affect historic sites in our area. Fort de Chartres, the Pierre Menard Home and Fort Kaskaskia, which are on this year's Illinois Great Rivers Ride, will be closed because of the cuts.

ANOTHER ILLINOIS BICYCLE TRAGEDY: This week has not been a good one for Illinois bicyclists. An Illinois man was killed when he was struck by a Kentucky state trooper's car, four Amish men were injured when a motorist struck their bike, and now a 13-year-old Springfield boy was killed Friday night when he was struck by a Jeep.

The (Springfield) State Journal-Register reported the boy was trying to cross busy Veterans Parkway at Lawrence Street. Initial police reports indicate the Jeep, which was driving on Veterans Parkway, had a green light, driving with the flow of traffic and had the right of way and that the boy entered his path.

Labels: Chicago, fatal accidents, Illinois, League of Illinois Bicyclists, trails

Roger 0 comments 1:15 PM

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Little Traverse Wheelway closer to completion

If you've read the accounts of my multiday rides in the United States and Canada, you know that Michigan is one of my favoring cycling destinations.

There's a variety of reasons for that, ranging from the amazing scenery along Lake Michigan to my desire to beat the heat that's usually present in the St. Louis area this time of year.

That's why I read with interest an account from the Harbor Light Newspaper about that fact a key link of the Little Traverse Wheelway between Magnus Park and East Bay Park in Petoskey is nearing completion. (The photo also is from the Harbor Light Newspaper.) If this excerpt from the story doesn't entice you to want to ride the trail, I don't know what will:

About three-quarters of a mile to the west of Petoskey’s Magnus Park, looking over Little Traverse Bay from a distance of roughly 50 feet, the view is nothing short of spectacular.

The water is crystal clear, and most of the shoreline running from Goodhart to Bay Harbor is visible. In the distance, the Petoskey light house looks like a tiny speck, jutting out into the lake.

Typically a Northern Michigan view like this can only be read about in a real estate listing for a million dollar cottage on the lake. However, come September, this view will be available for anyone. ...

When the 26-mile trail is completed, it will connect the lakeshore communities of Charlevoix and Harbor Springs. The trail is completed between Charlevoix and East Bay Park as well as from Magnus Park to the intersection of Beach Road and M-119 north of Petoskey. The West Shoreline Tour uses nearly all of the trail during its annual jaunt up the Lake Michigan shoreline.

A stretch of trail along M-119 to the Harbor Springs Airport is slated to completed in 2009. My hunch, though, is that the West Shoreline Tour will continue to use Beach Road, a beautiful road lined with trees and some of those gorgeous $1 million-plus summer homes near Harbor Springs.

The completion of the trail will be a wonderful thing for northern Michigan cyclists because it gives them a safe alternative to riding on busy U.S. 31 and M-119, which are thick with traffic during tourist season.

My one hope for the trail, based upon my travels on it in, is that signage on the trail is improved in Petoskey. I found it difficult to navigate the trail in the community, especially in the Waterfront Park section.

Labels: Michigan, trails

Roger 0 comments 1:05 PM

Thursday, June 05, 2008

McKinley Bridge Bikeway and Trestle grand opening

The Great Rivers Greenway District and the Metro East Park and Recreation District will jointly celebrate the grand opening of the McKinley Bridge Bikeway and Trestle at Branch Street on Saturday, June 7, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The McKinley Bridge Bikeway is a 2,600-ft. long by 14-ft. wide cantilevered lane separated from vehicular traffic lanes on the McKinley Bridge. Offering dramatic views of the Mississippi River and downtown St. Louis, the bikeway is a unique and distinctive feature of the reconstructed bridge that was reopened for vehicular traffic last November.

Also new on the Missouri side is the Trestle at Branch Street, a 2,400-ft. long by 24-ft. wide paved path that rises from street level at Branch Street to the height of the McKinley Bridge Bikeway. The trestle provides a direct connection to the popular 11-mile Riverfront Trail.

Eventually, an additional extension on the Missouri side will connect the Trestle at Branch Street, an adjacent historic elevated steel trestle that continues to downtown St. Louis. The trestle, which was a former rail corridor, will distinguish St. Louis as only the third city in the world, after the High Line in New York City and the Promenade Plantée in Paris, to convert an historic elevated railroad viaduct into a linear urban recreation area.

In a press release for the event, Madison County Board Chairman Alan Dunstan highlighted another important aspect of the project. “Thanks to the vision and hard work of the Madison County Transit District (MCT), we have a world-class bikeway system featuring over 100 miles of interconnected trails in Madison County. The opening of this landmark project by MEPRD and Great Rivers Greenway brings us another step closer to providing Missouri residents with enhanced access to those trails.”

While there are existing on-road connections to both the Confluence Trail and Schoolhouse Trail, MEPRD and MCT are in the planning stages for a trail connection that will link the McKinley Bridge Bikeway directly into the one of those existing MCT trails.

No bicycle riding will be allowed on the McKinley Bridge during the event, but participants will be able to walk or take a shuttle bus to take advantage of bands, food and other activities in St. Louis and across the Mississippi River in Venice, Ill. There's an early bird ride from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. from North Riverfront Park in St. Louis down to the bridge. The bikeway will be officially dedicated at noon.

Columbia, Ill.-based Helmets First will giving away bicycle helmets to the first 100 children.

Labels: bicycling, Illinois, McKinley Bridge, Missouri, St. Louis, trails

Roger 0 comments 10:39 PM

Thursday, May 15, 2008

Forest Park trail's a mess

Longtime reader Jack Painter asked me to spread the word about less-than-suitable conditions on the bicycle trail in Forest Park, St. Louis' largest city park.

"Forest Park is the jewel of St Louis as you probably know," Jack says. "The bike path there is highly used by cyclists, joggers, pedestrians, dog walkers and parents pushing their children in carts. Riding on it again yesterday (Wednesday), the path in this area still has mud and the grass alongside is a mess."

The problem area, Jack says, is a 70 to 100-yard section of the trail along Lindell Boulevard near the Missouri History Museum. As of Wednesday, he says the path still is covered with mud but it is not thick and mostly dry.

Jack also noted that the Riverfront Times STLOG blog picked up on the story. A picture that accompanies that blog shows the aftermath of the St. Louis Brewers Heritage Festival, held in Forest Park over the weekend. "Try pedaling through that and staying clean for that Monday-morning meeting," the author noted.

Jack says the trucks tore up the soil (as can be seen in the picture) on both sides of the path. The soil is very wet because of the record rainfall the St. Louis area has had in the first 4 1/2 months of 2008. Jack also contends there are many other places in the park to hold the festival which would allow trucks to delver the beer without using a bike path and that the path was not built to handle the weight of trucks and was just repaved in the last two years.

Other problems persist on the path in Forest Park, Jack contends: "On weekends when the lots that charge for parking fill up along with the free parking spaces, vehicles are parked on the bike paths even behind the Art Museum. I spoke with one of the security guards in the parking lot. He said that this occurs every busy weekend and the police have been informed. In biking around for one hour, I was unable to find an officer even though they have an equestrian station located in the park.

"Bike paths are great for recreational cyclists but in this case are also useful for commuters as the path parallels Lindell Blvd. and extends the full length of the park on the north side. But the message is clear, bike paths are given too little consideration. Local advocates favor (vehiclular cycling) and therefore bike paths, especially bike lanes, are also given minimal consideration."

Jack hopes, and I do as well, that the path is cleaned up by Friday morning, which a CBS News crew will be covering St. Louis' Bike to Work Day celebration. The last thing Trailnet and other organizers need is images of bicyclists trying to navigate a paved bike trail covered with mud.

Given the soil conditions, I can understand why beer festival organizers believed they needed to use the trail to set up booths. But as an event organizer myself, I am a firm believer that you need to leave the facilities in as good shape -- if not better -- than you found them. The mud on the trail creates an unsafe condition for cyclists and creates an inconvenience for other trail users.

Labels: St. Louis, trails

Roger 1 comments 12:07 PM

Monday, May 05, 2008

Bike St. Louis expands

Just in time for National Bike to Work Week, May 12-16, the Great Rivers Greenway District is announcing the opening of 57 miles of additional on-street Bike St. Louis routes through St. Louis County and St. Louis City.

With the expansion, the Bike St. Louis system will today 77 miles of dedicated bike lanes and shared traffic lanes.

The dedication of the expansion will take place Thursday at three locations:

• 10 a.m. in Maplewood, Mo., in front of Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest Avenue
  
• 11 a.m. in Clayton, Mo., at the MetroLink station at Central and Shaw Park Drive
  
• 12:30 p.m. in St. Louis at the intersection of St. Louis Avenue and Blair Avenue
  (a half-block block west of Crown Candy Kitchen)

Here's a brief excerpt from the press release (Word document) Bike St. Louis has published about the expansion:

The new routes are the first major expansion of the Bike St. Louis network since 2005, when the first 20 miles of continuous on-street bicycle routes were dedicated and connected downtown St. Louis to surrounding neighborhoods. Nearly 50 miles of the expanded Bike St. Louis routes are located in the City of St. Louis, providing connections from downtown to neighborhoods, business districts, educational, cultural and recreation amenities in North and South St. Louis. The new routes also provide on-street connections to the North Riverfront Trail and the McKinley Bridge Bikeway along the Mississippi River in North St. Louis, as well as the River des Peres Greenway and Christy Greenway in South St. Louis.

“In just a few short years, I have seen an important change in residents’ attitudes about bicycle trails and lanes,” said St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay. “What was suspicion and resistance five years ago is now enthusiastic support. A nearby trail is viewed – and, more importantly for our physical fitness, used – as an important amenity for city neighborhoods."

All Bike St. Louis routes feature highly visible customized designation signs, standard federal bicycle route signs and on-street pavement markings. In addition, Bike St. Louis maps are available online at www.bikestlouis.org and at many convenient area locations throughout the region. The maps provide information to assist riders plan their routes and feature safety tips and other pertinent resource information.

And if that wasn't enough, the Great Rivers Greenway District will hold the grand opening of the McKinley Bridge Bikeway and Trestle on June 7. After a major renovation, the bridge reopened to vehicle traffic late last year, and now the McKinley Bridge will link the Bike St. Louis system to the Madison County Transit Confluence Trail in Illinois.

Once the bridge is open, St. Louis cyclists will have four safe ways to cross the Mississippi River between the two states. The existing crossings are the Eads Bridge, Old Chain of Rocks Bridge and the Clark Bridge, which connects St. Charles County, Mo., and Alton, Ill.

Not surprisingly, I applaud the efforts to make the St. Louis area more bicycle friendly, and I hope the trend continues.

Labels: commuting, cycling, Missouri, St. Louis, trails

Roger 2 comments 12:10 AM