ILLINOIS TRAILS CONSERVANCY
JUNE 2008 TRAIL NEWS
IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOU: SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS TRAINING IS COMING TO A COMMUNITY NEAR YOU. June 17 Deerfield, June 18 Aurora, June 19 East Hazel Crest, June 24 Quad Cities, June 15 Macomb, June 26 Bloomington, July 8 Caseyville, July 9 Mt. Vernon, July 10 Charleston. Registration is limited so only two representatives from each community should attend. School District and Municipal Representatives are highly encouraged to attend. Register at http://www.dot.il.gov/saferoutes/SafeRoutesRegisterTrainingContent.aspx Safe Routes to School is an innovative federal program that supports programs and projects that enable and encourage students in kindergarten through eighth grade to walk and bicycle to school. Over the next two years this program will provide roughly $13 million dollars to school districts, local governments and non-profit organizations who would like to promote walking and cycling among school children. See www.dot.il.gov/saferoutes for more information.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR YOU: RTP Advisory Committee Compliance to receive FY 2009 Apportionments Reported to FHWA RTP Headquarters as of May 30, 2008 can be found at www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rectrails/stac_bmp:htm FHWA Guidance, Policy & Resource Update.
NEWS FROM ITC MEMBERS IS HELPFUL, FUN & INFORMATIVE.
ITC received $100.00 membership renewals from Joann Fraser, Duward Inch & Dr. Rosenberg. Illinois Snowmobile Clubs renewed their affiliate membership for $150.00. THANKS TO EVERYONE.
Peter Botzek from Chicago sent his thanks to Bev for excellent work and commented on how Europe provides bicycle trails everywhere. It is considered serious transportation. He shares that he grew up in Germany.
Chris Deitschel from Roselle thanked Bev for the renewal reminder. ITC MEMBERS ARE GREAT!
Deborah Fagan from DuPage County Planning shared information about Trees for Trails in DuPage County. She also sent a brochure of the May 13 Public Meeting for the proposed East Branch DuPage River Greenway Trail called the Benedictine Connector. DuPage County is promoting Bike on Metra to Work on June 9-13. The DuPage County Trail Maintenance Policy is on their website at www.dupageco.org/bikeways
Jim Gehrke from Lake in the Hills has volunteered to work on the ITC website to make it more informative and full of videos, photos and other fun stuff. THANKS TO TALENTED MEMBERS WHO SHARE THEIR SKILL
Maurice Gianesin from Rockford and Tim McTaggart with the Starved Rock Cycling Club are monitoring conditions on the I & M Canal. Repairs are badly needed but IDNR has no funding due to the lack of a Capital Funds. The Illinois Snowmobile Club has offered to help do what they can. FINDING FUNDS IS NO FUN.
Mike Incopero from Wheaton shares his expertise and advice with Bev regarding local Trail Issues.
Sylvia Kellogg from Hinsdale sent minutes of the May BRATS meeting at the Wheaton Park District Community Ctr. BRATS hosts wonderful speakers and information. Sylvia shared that she was on the Centennial Trail which is now asphalt with new grass. It was well traveled by Bikers, Walkers and three deer.
Karl Kohlrus from Springfield renewed his membership after receiving notice from Bev.
Phil Meyers from Durand thanked Bev for opening up her shop early to help him out with his bicycle. He is looking forward to a ride on the C & O Canal in Potomac, MD in October. ITC MEMBERS GET AROUND.
Neal Ney from Evanston updated his e-mail address for Bev. ITC MEMBERS KEEP CURRENT.
Eric Thor from Chicago renewed his membership early with a check for $75.00. He shares that Chicago police have a sizeable number of bicycle patrol officers. ITC MEMBERS DO VOLUNTEER WORK.
Greg Valent from Chicago shares that the Peterson Avenue bridge is paved, the bike lanes are striped and the gravel shoulders/running paths are in place. He tells Bev that the Skokie Valley Trail work has started on the northern end from IL 176 to the railroad tracks. He assures us that it is progressing. There is a flagged and fenced route between the current Trail northern end and the South side of the tracks. Bev received his story of THE GREAT WILD TURKEY ATTACK that occurred on April 7, 2008. Let Bev know if you would like a copy.
Warren Wiwat from Hoffman Estates sent Bev a copy of a newspaper article "New bike trail in preserves approved." Cook County Forest Preserve Dist. OK'd the release of nearly $1 million to complete the extension of the Algonquin Road bicycle trail near Penny Road. A spur will connect the Ameritech campus to the trail and another section will extend from Algonquin Road to Palatine Road. KEEP CONNECTING THOSE TRAILS.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU IN 2008:
June 1 - UDDER CENTURY BIKE RIDE - See www.mchenrybicyleclub.org for information
June 9 - Bike on Metra to Work from Naperville (both stations)
June 10 - Bike on Metra to Work from Lisle & Winfield
June 10 - BRATS Meeting at 7:30-9:00 p.m. Wheaton Park Dist. Comm. Center.
June 11 - Bike on Metra to Work from Wheaton & Downers Grove
June 12 - Bike on Metra to Work from Elmhurst & Hinsdale
June 13 - Bike on Metra to Work from Lombard & Villa Park
June 15 - SWEDISH DAYS RIDE - Fox Valley Bike & Ski Club Register @ www.active.com before June 6.
June 15 - 21 - GITAP - Grand Illinois Trail and Parks Ride sponsored by LIB & IDNR. Ride begins & ends in Dixon.
June 17 - Entice Workshop at Illinois State Museum in Springfield - Check www.ilcf.org/Workshop/Courses.asp to attend.
June 20 - Entice Workshop at Giant City State Park in Makanda
June 21 - Entice Workshop at Vermillion County Conservation Area in Danville
June 21 - Entice Workshop at Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie in Wilmington
June 28 - Entice Workshop at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago
July 26 & 27 - Chase the Moon Midnight Bike Ride. See www.chasethemoon.com for information.
August 9 & 10 - Renewable Energy & Sustainable Lifestyle Fair See www.illinoisrenew.org for more.
August 16-23 - Lincoln Trail Bike Ride from Kentucky to Springfield, Illinois. Call Todd Volker at 815-431-1999.
August 23 – Party on the Path Fundraiser for Riverfront Trail in Belvidere - Building a Path to a Healthy Tomorrow
September 10 - APPLYING CONSERVATION DESIGN IN YOUR COMMUNITY. www.theconservationfoundation.org
September 17 - CNT's 30 Anniversary Celebration @ Garfield Park Conservatory. Call 773-269-4029 for Info.
September 21 - North Shore Centry Bike Ride - Contact Evanston Bicycle Club to register.
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.
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.
ITC BOARD MEMBERS ARE BUSY WORKING FOR YOU
George Burrier from Morton shared the minutes from the May 5 meeting of the Recreational Trail Advocates in Peoria Heights. They are one busy group of people George has been sharing information from and promoting the Mackinaw Valley Bike Trail between Peoria & Bloomington. GREAT TRAILS DO HAPPEN WITH TIME.
Ron Hambly from Plainfield shares that the Illinois Snowmobilers are planning to meet with the I & M Site Manager to see what can be done to help repair the Canal Trail.
Bob Hargis from Charleston attended the Kickpoo Trail Meeting in April Champaign & Vermilion Counties have agreed to join forces on the trail. Partnerships make for more trails. Bob e-mailed Bev a copy of an article about the Mackinaw Valley Trail dated May 16 in the Daily Times.
Bruce Perry from Port Byron & wife Becky & Grandson plan to ride part of the GITAP in June.
ITC ACTIONS IN MAY INCLUDE:
May 1 – Created, copied & distributed MAY TRAIL NEWS to 236 ITC Members
May 1 - Received a reminder of the Route 66 Southern Region Trail Meeting.
May 3 - Mailed a Bicycle Trails Reference Map to ITC Member June Ground in Mattoon.
May 6 - Received a letter from Secretary of Transportation Milton R. Sees regarding my request for information about the Capital Improvements Meetings sponsored by J. Dennis Hastert and Glenn Poshard. He also assures us that the IDOT Official Bicycle Maps will continue to be available. Maps can be found at idotmapsales@dot.il.gov He also suggests that if we have questions or need additional information on enhancement funds to contact Keith Sherman, Chief of Planning and Systems.
May 6 - e-mailed Michael Rhodes at IDNR regarding my experience attending two Illinois State Committee Meetings while I was in Springfield on Legislative Day in April Michael shared information from sj-r.com.
May 7 - Michael reported that NO FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE to fix the I & M. Canal.
May 9 - Received a Report from the Surface Transportation Board regarding the Canadian National Railway Co. and the Grand Trunk Corp. Control of the EJ & E West Company.
May 11 - Mailed a letter to Director of Transportation Milton Sees regarding Highway 173 Bridge Project and how it could assist McHenry County Conservation District with the Trail between Harvard & Boone County.
May 12 - Mailed a letter to IDOT Div. Of Highways re two roadway improvements. One was in Bureau County 7.2 miles south of US6 and the other was in LaSalle County 0.9 miles west of Illinois 170 at Seneca.
May 12 - Tom Murtha shared information about the trails plan in McHenry County. Several proposed trail opportunities were removed from the map. I hope this does not jeopardize future Federal Enhancement Funds. Bev was not able to attend the May 14 meeting in Chicago at CMAP. She was in Elgin at a Workshop.
May 17 - Bev is looking forward to what Jim Gehrke will be able to do with TRAIL NEWS on the web site.
May 19 - Received e-mail from Tom Murtha and CMAP regarding inaccurate information about Safe Routes to Schools Program. SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS FUNDS HAVE BEEN & CONTINUE TO BE AVAILABLE.
May 22 - Received the Route 66 Trail Meeting Summary from Marla Gursh at IDNR.
May 23 - Mailed another letter to IDOT re roadway plans in DeKalb County and Livingston County.
May 29 - Received information from Dick Westfall re federal FEMA funds for FY09.
CONTACT ILLINOIS TRAILS CONSERVANCY at www.ILLTrails.com Contact Bev about anything mentioned in TRAIL NEWS. E-Mail her at ITC bebomoore@aol.com for info. Illinois Trails Conservancy is P.O. Box 10, Capron, IL. 61012. Cell phone is 815-289-1024.