Governor Ryan Announces $1.5 Million for a Variety of Trail Development and Maintenance Projects

SPRINGFIELD -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced $1.5 million in funding for a variety of recreational trails construction and maintenance projects in Illinois.

"Illinoisans across the state enjoy recreational trails of all types," Ryan said. "It is important, not only to build them, but to keep them in proper repair."

Funding comes from the federal National Recreational Trails program. The program provides 80 percent of a project's cost with the local sponsor contributing the rest.

The projects were recommended by the Illinois Greenways and Trails Council, composed of representatives of statewide motorized and non-motorized user organizations, statewide agency organizations, organizations with expertise in greenways and trails, and metro-area greenways and trails coalitions. State agencies including DNR and IDOT serve as technical advisors to the Council.

Jane Addams Trail, Stephenson County, $539,259 to develop a 14.5-mile snowmobile/equestrian/biking trail from Freeport to the Illinois-Wisconsin state line. The Freeport Park District is the local sponsor.

Statewide Sign Installation for Site Trail Projects, statewide, $24,607 to install trail signs at Department of Natural Resources sites throughout the state.

Argyle Lake State Park, McDonough County, $100,000 to replace trail structures, improve trail head, repair and control erosion, install signs and upgrade equestrian and hiking trails at the site.

Kankakee River State Park, Kankakee County, $29,096 to repair and control erosion on the equestrian trail, replace structures and install signs on all site trails.

Chain O'Lakes State Park, Lake County, $6,800 to repair and control erosion, replace structures and install signs on equestrian and hiking trails.

Des Plaines Conservation Area, Will County, $17,280 to repair and control erosion, replace structures and install signs on equestrian and hiking trails.

Moraine View State Park, McLean County, $16,000 to replace the floating bridge and overlook on the hiking trail.

Kickapoo State Park, Vermilion County, $32,000 to replace stairways and install culverts and bridges on hiking trails.

Siloam Springs State Park, Adams/Brown counties, $46,290 to repair and control erosion, replace structures and install signs on the equestrian trail.

Beaver Dam State Park, Macoupin County, $6,080 to repair and control erosion and replace structures on the hiking trail.

Fults Hill Prairie, Monroe County, $10,800 to make a stairway, trail head and sign improvements on the hiking trail.

Giant City State Park, Jackson/Union counties, $44,000 to rehabilitate and install signs on the hiking trails.

Red Hills State Park, Lawrence County, $17,896, to repair and control erosion control and replace bridges and structures on the hiking trail.

Trail of Tears State Forest, Union County, $3,712 to repair and control erosion and make trail head and sign improvements on the equestrian/hiking trail.

Godwin Trail Reconstruction, Jackson/Union counties, $11,800 to reconstruct 6 miles of existing equestrian/hiking trail in the Bald Knob and Clear Springs Wilderness Areas of the Shawnee National Forest . This is part of the River-to-River Trail. The local sponsor is the U.S. Forest Service.

Lusk Creek River-to-River Trail Reconstruction, Pope County, $6,000 to reconstruct 2.3 miles of existing equestrian/hiking trail in the Lusk Creek Wilderness Area of the Shawnee National Forest. This is part of the River-to-River Trail. The U.S. Forest Service is the local sponsor.

Russell Cemetery River-to-River Trail Replacement, Hardin County, $8,800 to replace 0.3 miles of extremely eroded equestrian/hiking trail within the Russell Barrens Natural Area of the Shawnee National Forest. This is part of the River-to-River Trail. The U.S. Forest Service is the local sponsor.

Swallow Cliff Trail Restoration, Cook County, $298,100 to restore 2.65 miles of extremely eroded existing mountain biking/equestrian/hiking trail within the Swallow Cliff Woods Forest Preserve. The Cook County Forest Preserve District is the local sponsor.

Fox River Water Trail, Phase 1, Kane/Kendall counties, $33,100 to construct a new canoe launch and parking area at Buffalo Park Forest Preserve (Kane County) and improve existing canoe launches at Fox River Shores Forest Preserve and Carpenter Dam Forest Preserve (Kane County) and Shuh Shuh Gah Forest Preserve (Kendall County).

Trail Planning and Promotion, Statewide, $68,780 to complete plans and to provide informational and promotional programs for trail users.