Will County's First Bikeway Plan Approved

The Forest Preserve District of Will County now has its first official county bikeway plan, after the district’s Board of Commissioners approved the plan at a meeting on November 10. The Will County Bikeway Plan underwent a public comment period open throughout September, during which people were welcomed to post feedback on the plan for compilation before its presentation to the Board. While some bikeway corridors already existed in the county, “a planning guide was needed to improve clarity between multiple user groups and levels of government”, according to an article in The Herald News. The plan’s main goal was to identify areas where non-motorized transportation opportunities could be expanded in Will County so as to enhance connectivity, expand transportation choices and improve safety and health. The Board also approved its $48.2 million budget for 2017, which includes $17.2 million for operations and over $24 million in debt service.

The district’s chief operating officer, Ralph Schultz, said “The plan is about connecting people to places,” and therefore many bikeway corridors will be near existing transportation ways. The plan will act as a reference to help municipalities, park districts and neighborhoods and other entities pursue future projects that increase multimodal transportation. The Herald News reported that 2017 will be the final year of removals, and that some of first projects to begin next year will be the creation of bike path bridges over the DuPage River and Interstate 55 on the south side of Black Road in Joliet.