This page shows news articles related to specific greenways and communities.
All News Clips
| Back to List | |
| Trail being blazed for Valley Line | |
| Aug 23, 2007 | |
| Alan Schmidt, Staff Writer aschmidt@pioneerlocal.com | |
| Pioneer Press | |
| Pertains to Valley Line Trail, Chicago, Lincolnwood, Skokie | |
| Work was progressing this month on the Valley Line Trail, a roughly one-mile bike and foot path that will cut through Sauganash. The multi-purpose trail is being built along a section of a defunct railroad right-of-way that runs from Bryn Mawr to Devon. The entrance on the southern end will be at Bryn Mawr, just east of Kostner. It will be just west of Kostner on the northern end. The $2.3 million Valley Line Trail will be 18 feet wide, with separate lanes for bicycle and foot traffic in either direction, and a thin, landscaped border along the edges. The bike and foot lanes will have specialized surfaces. Construction began in late July with crews clearing trees and brush growing along the path. Most recently, work has centered on grading the soil to smooth out any rough spots and creating paths for ramps that will be located at Sauganash Park and West Thome Avenue. One of the more complex parts of the project involves demolishing the railroad viaducts over Rogers and Peterson avenues. They will be replaced with lightweight bridges specifically designed to provide clear visibility from the street. Chicago Department of Transportation spokeswoman Maria Castaneda said work on those bridges will be postponed until work on the Foster Avenue overpass on the Edens Expressway is done. Peterson Avenue is one of the routes being used as a detour. Castaneda explained how traffic will be affected once that phase of the project gets under way in the fall. Peterson Avenue will remain open to motorists and pedestrians. However, motorists can expect lane reductions and brief closures on Peterson Avenue when the existing bridge structure is removed and the new structure is hoisted into place. This brief closure and detour will take place during non-rush hours. Rogers Avenue will be closed to through traffic between Kostner Avenue and Peterson Avenue during bridge demolition and construction. Local traffic will be permitted and access to residences and businesses will be maintained. Through traffic will detour via Kostner and Peterson Avenues. Information will be posted prior to any lane reductions and road closures, she said. Most of the work on the trail is expected to be complete late this year. The project is expected to wrap up in the spring. The Valley Line Trail will later be turned over to the Chicago Park District. As with other park property, many criminal offenses -- such as possession of marijuana or a controlled substance, selling illegal drugs, use of alcohol by a minor, possession of or unlawful use of a weapon, gang recruitment or activity -- are generally made more severe if they occur within a 1,000-foot radius. While police were required to get permission from ComEd to get onto the right-of-way to respond to any criminal activity there, because it's private property, they won't have to anymore. Also, markers will be posted along the path, based on the city's address marking system, to allow people to provide their locations in case of emergencies. |
»»»»»
Greenway Trails
» » »Existing
» » »Project
» » »Potential
Greenway Maps
» » »by Agency
» » »by Scope
Community Systems
» » »Active
» » »Typical
» » »Sedentary
» » »Dead-end
Grade Separations
» » »Existing
» » »Needed
Trail Development
» » »News
» » »Events
Greenway Advocacy Materials
Bicycle Underpass/Overpass Gallery
About Greenway Planning Database
About Steve Breese
PalatineRoad.com
Contact Steve Breese
Greenway Links
ArlingtonTrotters.com
Fast Track Racing Team
COGO
Technical Corner