ILLINOIS TRAILS CONSERVANCY
FEBRUARY 2008 TRAIL NEWS HAPPY VALENTINES
NEWS FROM ITC MEMBERS IS HELPFUL, FUN & INFORMATIVE.
ITC received Trailblazer ($100.00) annual renewals from Robert Murray in Chicago & William Lee Jr. in Barrington. THANK YOU ALL.
Rennie Ballagh from Richmond was very concerned about information that he received from Rails to Trails regarding the attitude of Mary Peters, the current U.S. Secretary of Transportation who publicly blamed bike paths and trails for the disasterous bridge collapse in Minneapolis. Despite the fact that investments in walking and biking currently amount to less than 1.5% of federal transportation dollars, she initially said they take too much money away from roads and bridges that “are not transportation”. This attitude is totally unreal and shows that she has no concept of the amount of U.S. citizens that use bicycles & alternative means of transportation. BEV WILL WRITE A LETTER ON BEHALF OF ITC MEMBERS TO ENLIGHTEN HER.
Jean Collins from Western Springs sent Bev a copy of a letter from METRA in reply to her letter suggesting that bicycles were given priority over people with disabilities. William Tupper assured Jean that every attempt is made by METRA to accommodate all riders and ensure harmony and safety for all. METRA CARES.
Jim Gehrke from Lake in the Hills e-mailed Bev a picture of his retirement home in Wisconsin. HAPPY DAYS.
Mary Lou Fitzpatrick from Roscoe thanked Bev for all she does for ITC and plans to visit this summer when she is out riding the Long Prairie Trail through Capron. YOU ARE ALL MORE THAN WELCOME TO VISIT.
Sylvia Kellogg from Hinsdale shared Minutes from the January 2008 BRATS meeting in Wheaton. She shared information from the Village of Villa Park, the Butterfield Road Expansion and upcoming Events. GOOD JOB.
Donald Lawrence from Carbondale sent Bev photos of a roadway repair that had major rumble strips along a very narrow shoulder. Bev took them to a meeting in Springfield and shared them with Greg Piland from FHWA. He said it was due to specs required because of the location of the road. Bev asked Todd Hill to contact Don to explain the design issue regarding the roadway. BEV TAKES YOUR CONCERNS TO THE RIGHT AGENCY.
Phil Meyers from Durand missed getting his renewal notice and contacted Bev. He also asked for information on the Multi-State Trail from Ohio through Indiana & Illinois to the Katy Trail in Missouri. BEV SENT A MAP.
Bonnie Pink from McHenry met Bev in Florida so we could check out the location of the bike trail around Lake Okachoobee. We found a nice trail head at the City of Moore’s Haven. WHAT A COINCIDENCE.
Greg Valent from Chicago keeps Bev informed about the Valley Line Trail. Greg said there was no appreciable progress during the month of January but then again….weather was not cooperating. The lights on the Rogers Ave./Sauganash Park access are lit. Margaret Laurino fro the 39th Ward is hoping for an Opening in 2008. She indicated that the trail may extend all the way from Devon to Pratt. ITC NEEDS TO INTRODUCE MS. LAURINO FROM CHICAGO TO MS. PETERS IN THE U.S. DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION.
ITC BOARD MEMBERS ARE BUSY WORKING FOR YOU
George Burrier from Peoria & his better half Sandi continue to fight the battle for the Kellar Branch Trail in Peoria with the Friends of the Rock Island Trail. Reports from the January minutes include a bench on the trail, a new pamphlet, an upcoming press conference, a request for matching funds for a Trail grant to extend the Rock Island Trail into Toulon to connect with the Hennepin Canal Trail, and a report that MeLean County is trying to extend Constitution Trails from Normal to Danvers. PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL TRAIL GROUP.
Bob Hargis from Charleston met Bev in Springfield on January 16 to attend the Greenways & Trails Council Meeting at the FHWA Office. ITC BOARD MEMBERS SUPPORT ALL TRAILS IN ILLINOIS.
David Landeweer from Arlington Heights attended a CMAP meeting in Chicago on January 16. He shares that CMAP indicated that recissions in FY2009 are not going to be pretty except they will be proportionate across the board. They are estimating a total amount of $300 million for Illinois. The NIPC Greenways & Trails Map update is not complete yet. THINGS ARE NOT GOOD FOR ALTERNATIVE MOBILITY WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF U.S. DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION.
ACCESS IDOT Transportation Enhancement Program on successive linked pages beginning at www.dot.il.gov/opp/WebRep2.html
ITC ACTIONS IN JANUARY INCLUDE:
January 1 – Created, copied & distributed JANUARY TRAIL NEWS to 231 ITC Members.
January 2 – Filed a card received from Chicago Bicycle Federation that has a good slogan for 2008
THE MORE YOU BIKE, THE BETTER YOUR WORLD….LET’S ALL MAKE THAT OUR GOAL FOR 2008
Bev clipped a newspaper article from South Beloit who would like to acquire a 32 acre recreation area with trails.
January 3 – Received an e-mail from Jim Schindler in Ohio that he would be available to provide a 6 hour program on design, construction and maintenance of trails. BEV’S GOAL IS FOR ALL TO SHARE EXPERIENCE.
January 3 – Received e-mail from Margie Martinson at REI regarding the Bike Cargo Trailer. She shared suggestions on how to achieve the REI grant. BEV FORWARDED THIS INFO TO JOHN WILSON AT LAN OAK PARK DISTRICT.
January 4 – Received a request from Carl Prose asking for a copy of the Multi-State Trail from Ohio through Indiana and Illinois to the Katy Trail in Missouri. Bev mailed him a copy. LOTS OF INTEREST IN LONG DISTANCE TRAILS.
January 7 – Received a request from Marvin J. Colbert to remove his name from our mail list. Bev checked the membership list and had no listing. Computers do strange things.
January 9 – Sent a letter to Rick Powell in Ottawa regarding a request for trail information due to a roadway project in Livingston County & DeKalb County. With it, Bev supplied IDOT Bicycle Maps so he would have information about existing and planned trails in each of these Counties. COMMUNICATION IS IMPORTANT.
January 10 – Bev attended a meeting of the Riverfront Fundraising Committee in Belvidere.
January 14 – Received a meeting agenda for the Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force Meeting for January 16. Bev forwarded the information to ITC Board Member David Landeweer and he filled in since Bev was in Springfield.
January 16 – Attended Greenways & Trails Council Meeting in Springfield. Heard some very disturbing news about lack of funds for projects that have been previously approved. Bev will write a letter to Senator Dick Durbin about this. Some discussion was held about the a 2008 Illinois Trails Summit in Springfield. INFORMATION AND EXPERIENCE IS IMPORTANT TO BE SHARED BETWEEN COMMUNITIES. ILLINOIS NEEDS THIS OPPORTUNITY. The next meeting is scheduled for March 19 in Collinsville and Bev plans to attend. PLEASE HELP ME BY ANSWERING THE QUESTION ASKED AT THE END OF THIS TRAIL NEWS.
Janury 20 – Mailed ITC application for a booth at 2008 EARTH DAY at Boone County Conservation District.
January 23 – Mailed a letter to Senator Durbin asking if the lack of a Capital Improvements Budget for Illinois has caused a delay in Federal Transportation Funds for the State of Illinois.
January 30 & 31 – Attended a Margins to the Mainstream, Getting Transportation & Land Use Decisions that Create Walkable Communities with Mobility Choices Workshop in Orlando. WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE INFORMATION WITH PLANNERS FROM CALIFORIA, MASSACHUSETTES, FLORIDA & ELSEWHERE.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU IN 2008:
February 9 - ILLINOIS OUTDOOR HALL OF FAME BANQUET Check web site www.ilcf.org for info.
February 11-14 – TRAILS ADVOCACY WEEK from American Trails in California.
February 12 – BRATS MEETING at Wheaton Park District Community Center 7:30- 9:00 p.m.
March 1 – GRANT DEADLINE FOR RTP APPLICATIONS – http://www.dnr.state.il.us/ocd/gaoutnew.htm
March 1 – HIGHWAY SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM SUBMITTALS at http://www.dot.state.il.us/illinoisCHSP/hsip.html CLICK ON BLUE TO TAKE YOU TO THAT SITE.
March 18 – Midewin Tall Grass Prairie Alliance Native Plant sale fundraiser. www.fs.fed.us/mntp for information.
March 29 - Boone County Conservation Dist. 1st Annual Green Ball @Bel-Mar Country Club. 815-547-7935 for more.
March 29 & 30, 2008 - CHICAGO BIKE SHOW at Donald E. Stephens Convenstion Center in Rosemont.
April 12 – LONG PRAIRIE TRAIL CLEANUP – MEET IN POPLAR GROVE AT 8:30 A.M.
April 26 - EARTH DAY at Boone County Conservation District - 1:00-4:00 p.m.
April 26 – ILLINOIS PRAIRIE PATH CLEAN UP. SAVE THE DAY TO CLEAN A TRAIL.
June 15 - 21 - GITAP - Grand Illinois Trail and Parks Ride sponsored by LIB & IDNR. Ride begins & ends in Dixon.
August 16-23 - Lincoln Trail Bike Ride from Kentucky to Springfield, Illinois. Call Todd Volker at 815-431-1999.
September 26 - Scientific Symposium on the state of Illinois' natural resources
September 27 - Natural History Survey Expo - Visit http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/150/index.html for information.
October 12 – Kishwalk Fundraiser for Riverfront Trail in Belvidere
November 15-18 - 2008 NATIONAL TRAILS SYMPOSIUM IN LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS. Theme is Innovative Trails: Transforming the American Way of Life. See www.AmericanTrails.org/2008 for information.
***WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE OR LEARN MORE ABOUT???? AT A 2008 ILLINOIS TRAILS SUMMIT IN SPRINGFIELD??? WHAT DATE WOULD YOU SUGGEST??
CONTACT ILLINOIS TRAILS CONSERVANCY at www.ILLTrails.com & do not hesitate to contact Bev about anything mentioned in TRAIL NEWS. E-Mail her at ITC bebomoore@aol.com for info. Postal address for Illinois Trails Conservancy is P.O. Box 10, Capron, IL. 61012. Bev is in Florida from January 15 through March 20. Cell phone is 815-289-1024.