A bike trail connecting Chicago's southern suburbs could be extended to Northwest Indiana. The Old Plank Road Trail currently runs from Joliet to Chicago Heights, but Mitch Barloga with the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) says a feasibility study to extend it eastward is about to get underway.
"There are some challenges to the route, especially in Chicago Heights. Some of the old right of way has been obliterated. so we have to figure that out. But when we get out into Indiana, it's a pretty straight shot. And if anyone's ever taken the Old Plank Road Trail going towards Joliet from Chicago Heights, it's quite the experience, and so we're very excited to try to link it into our network and into the Pensy Greenway," Barloga recently told NIRPC's Ped, Pedal & Paddle Committee.
Cook County has awarded $300,000 for the study. Now, NIRPC is planning to chip in another $50,000 to include Dyer and Schererville.
This comes at a time when more money is available for trail projects. Barloga says the federal infrastructure bill brought a substantial increase.
"If you haven't thought about funding a trail, this is probably the best time to do so," he told local leaders on the committee.
Trail expansion has also been a priority for Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb. During his recent State of the State address, he touted the "largest expansion" of trails in the state's history, thanks to the $150 million Next Level Trails program.