The village of Germantown Hills is gauging support for a new multi-use trail that could provide a new link to their community and beyond.
The bridge's new eastbound span is opening in December after a five year, $167 million construction project. It includes a 14-foot multimodal path for pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the Illinois River.
The village received a share of the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission's $300,000 State Planning and Research grant. The money was used to hire engineering firm Crawford, Murphy & Tilly to do a trail feasibility study looking at a five mile stretch of Illinois Route 116 running north, from the east end of the bridge up to Woodland Knolls Dr.
A feasibility study looks at the potential challenges and benefits of a project before the decision is made on whether to move forward with the engineering that's needed before construction can actually get underway.
Karl Figg is the village president of Germantown Hills. He believes there's a lot of support for expanding trail access in the community.
"We've done a comprehensive plan of our residents, and about three quarters of them said that was one thing that they wanted us to do more, are sidewalks and bike recreation," Figg said. "So we've been doing that this year. We'll continue to do it where it makes sense and where it helps our residents. But this has an added benefit, because it ties us with other communities."
The McClugage to Germantown Hills feasibility study could be just one part of a larger vision. The village last year also received $240,000 to start Phase I and Phase II engineering for a 10-foot trail connecting Germantown Hills to neighboring Metamora. The two trails would connect if both projects ultimately happen.
Riding a bike or walking on a multi-lane state highway is a dangerous proposition, to put it lightly. A separate path would make that trip a lot safer - and potentially a lot more attractive for those who get around by means other than motor vehicle.
Brent Baker is president of Bike Peoria, a bicycling advocacy group in the Peoria area. He said this new trail would be another asset for the region's growing network of trails.
The addition of the McClugage Bridge multi-use path creates a "core loop" across the Illinois River. It works in synergy with the improved bike and pedestrian access on the recently refurbished Bob Michel Bridge, which until recently was the only river crossing open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic in the Peoria area.
That strong core loop, Baker said, creates a solid foundation to begin looping in outlying communities like Germantown Hills and Metamora, too.
"The more you invest in these sort of systems, then the easier it is for others to see the value in them. So I think it is sort of accretive and additive, these investments, which is really important," he said.
Building up the trail network also encourages people to get out of their cars more often. That has not only health and environmental benefits, but also economic ones, Baker said.
"People don't really realize, but it is an economic development generator for the businesses in that area if you can make it easier for people to take different trips to places and make more of an event out of it," he said.
Figg said he and his daughter have enjoyed day-long bike rides of this type when he goes to visit her out in Colorado.
"I think there'd be opportunities like destination stuff, where people are out for a bike ride, and then they stop at Germantown Hills and some of our local merchants and restaurants are able to have some type of refreshments and meals for them, then they can go on their way, he said.
"So there's that economic development, but then there's also just people that live here (who) want more options for that type of recreation, so it would meet that need, too," he added.
The final project is far from a done deal, and it will take years to secure funding and get the plan "shovel ready" for construction even if things do proceed. But Figg said the feasibility study is all part of figuring out what people want, and what will be needed to deliver on that.
"In order to provide leadership, you have to take those initial steps that other people are getting benefits from down the road. And so that's what this is, that initial step to get us there," he said.
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