The Champaign County Forest Preserve board of trustees heard an update on the Kickapoo Rail Trail (KRT) Extension Study that was developed by the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPD) through funding from an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Statewide Planning and Research grant and local match from Carle Health System at their November meeting.
The district will vote on accepting the study at their Dec.17 meeting.The Urbana City Council will also vote to accept the study on Dec. 14 with the intention to submit to IDOT by the Dec. 31 deadline.
The two-year study looked at the potential of extending the existing KRT westward from its current terminus in East Urbana through Downtown Urbana to Lincoln Avenue.
The KRT, owned locally by the CCFPD,i s a 24.5-mile trail that follows the former CSX railroad from East Urbana to Kickapoo State Park, passing through Mayview, St. Joseph, Ogden, Fithian and Oakwood. In an effort to move the multi-purpose path that is often used for recreation, exercise and sometimes transportation between Danville and Urbana, the study looks at what it means to extend the trail another 2.4 miles east through residential neighborhoods, commercial businesses, industrial facilities, and several green spaces.
The area studied includes active railroad tracks owned by the Norfolk Southern Railroad. Currently two companies use the line, on average two times per week, traveling at low speeds.
The study recommendation puts the trail at a 30-foot distance from the railroad, which is 15 additional feet from the requirement.
Feedback on trail placement was solicited online for a 30-day period in October in order to comply with COVID-19 mitigations. With 32 participants, 50-percent of the respondents said that having all sections, 1-4, on the south side of the tracks was their preference.
One participant said, “Connecting with Coler Ave. is important as it is the best bike route to the north end from campus. I believe this route would highlight the Boneyard Creek renovations best.”
Another said, “I’m a fan of it because of the length of off-street trail. I’m a chicken about riding in traffic. I only ride the KRT from St. Joe to Mt. Olive Cemetery. That’s as far as I can make it! 😉 It also continues straight from where it leaves off at Walmart and ends at the new development on Lincoln Ave.”
The study also took the preliminary steps to look into the impact on environmental factors, such air, water bodies, biodiversity, forests and wetlands. A larger study will be conducted in compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental regulation prior to any project being started.
Additional next steps include fundraising and land acquisition, then looking at where trailheads could be placed.
The project is estimated to cost $2 million, which does not include improvements to the Main Street bridge. This would be the responsibility of the City of Urbana or Norfolk Railroad.
Board member Bobbie Herakovich said that the extension of the KRT has big regional implications.
“I personally know one of our donors who is a doctor who lives in Urbana and rides to the Veterans home (in Danville) every day,” Herakovich said.“He can’t wait for the whole thing to be finished so that he can ride there and back every day.”
