The Chainlink

Heads up North Branch Trail Users: The Edgebrook Community Association is hosting an open meeting on 7/10 to discuss plans to extend the North Branch Trail from Devon to Foster.  A group of residents will present an alternative route for the extension, which may include on-street segments. 

The Cook County Forest Preserve will also present the original plan, in the works since 2006, to extend the trail along the river through the Forest Preserve. 

Details on the ECA site: http://edgebrookcommunity.org/

Thursday, July 10th @ 7 pm
CCFPD Volunteer Resource Center (aka Edgebrook Fieldhouse)
6100 North Central Avenue

Here's the original route:

And the proposed alternatives from the 39th Ward Advisory Committee Alternative Plan:

Jim Merrell - Active Trans

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What is the goal of this proposal for a less direct and less safe route?

To make the trail more accessible.  Right now it is awesome single track mountain biking trails.   Ride them before it's all paved!  It's more of a nature trail then any sort of transportation route from point A to B.

I would imagine it would make it more safe since people ride/hike that area anyway.  I would love to see a trail there, keeps people off streets who don't want to ride on them, especially since Central from Elston to Lehigh is definitely not a bike friendly stretch unless you ride really early.

I don't understand why the Edgebrook residences wouldn't want this?  It is already an isolated neighborhood so it isn't like a path will make that big of a difference but I read another article where they are worried about trees being cut down.  Honestly if they just expanded the sidewalk along Central and paved it there isn't anything to worry about there.  And the trails back in the woods are already really wide through Forest Glenn, enough so that there always seems to be a car back there.  

Although, those Forest Glenn woods are the dumps for druggies and I have been back there and stumbled upon deer that were gutted and splayed open between trees before when I was a kid.  But camel's hump used to be an awesome run and jump!

John Wirtz said:

What is the goal of this proposal for a less direct and less safe route?

I don't want it, I like my nature trails to be hidden from the public.  This will bring many more people to the area and it will totally lose the appeal it has now, a hidden nature trail that is quiet, and has lots of wildlife.  

Hmmm, never considered that.  I do wish that some of the local MTB chapters would perhaps do a project in there to make the trails smoother (well, I haven't been back there in years).

EDIT: or at least make the local streets more bike friendly and have the upkeep higher since it seems that area always ends up with torn up streets within a few years of a paving and it stays that way for a long while.


Apie (10.6) said:

I don't want it, I like my nature trails to be hidden from the public.  This will bring many more people to the area and it will totally lose the appeal it has now, a hidden nature trail that is quiet, and has lots of wildlife.  

Looks like a good plan, I like how they are following the edge of the woods, rather than clear cutting a huge path right through the center.  Well done.  

I just want an easier way back to Elston. This would be awesome.

Um, who thinks that riding Devon across the train tracks with multiple lights does *anything* realistic as an "alternate?"  If the trail doesn't bypass the clusterpoop at Devon/Caldwell/Central, then it does nothing to make the trail more accessible, period.

I don't see an alternative, besides building a bridge over Devon.  The path is west of caldwell, and crosses at Devon, looks like it avoids the whole problem area

Madopal (2.4 mi) said:

Um, who thinks that riding Devon across the train tracks with multiple lights does *anything* realistic as an "alternate?"  If the trail doesn't bypass the clusterpoop at Devon/Caldwell/Central, then it does nothing to make the trail more accessible, period.

Ah, I see, the Alternative "route".   This project map has got me confused several times!

Apie (10.6) said:

I don't see an alternative, besides building a bridge over Devon.  The path is west of caldwell, and crosses at Devon, looks like it avoids the whole problem area

Madopal (2.4 mi) said:

Um, who thinks that riding Devon across the train tracks with multiple lights does *anything* realistic as an "alternate?"  If the trail doesn't bypass the clusterpoop at Devon/Caldwell/Central, then it does nothing to make the trail more accessible, period.

Yeah, it is kinda confusing.  I also love how the "alternate" route is basically to ride the existing streets and not extend the path at all. 

Oh wow, I just noticed that part of their "suggested" route is the Weber Spur!  Whee...yeah, I'm sure they'll get people to spend money on a part of the Weber Spur before they extend the trail.

I'd love to see the Weber Spur done, but suggesting it as an alternate when it's probably 5 years out...not the most sensible idea.

Apie (10.6) said:

Ah, I see, the Alternative "route".   This project map has got me confused several times!

Apie (10.6) said:

I don't see an alternative, besides building a bridge over Devon.  The path is west of caldwell, and crosses at Devon, looks like it avoids the whole problem area

Madopal (2.4 mi) said:

Um, who thinks that riding Devon across the train tracks with multiple lights does *anything* realistic as an "alternate?"  If the trail doesn't bypass the clusterpoop at Devon/Caldwell/Central, then it does nothing to make the trail more accessible, period.

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