abandoned rail track/path on the NW side

I was weaving my way through Sauganash today, going down Bryn Mawr, and noticed a long stretch of trail I hadn't seen before.  I checked it out on google maps, and it looks like it goes from the Edens-Kennedy junction all the way up to Granville & Pulaski.  Although from what I saw, it certainly wasn't a "bike path," it looked like it would be rideable.  This area is so terrible for bicycling, it would be a great alternative to streets if it's legal.  I didn't see any threatening signs.

Has anyone ridden this?

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Gregorek on November 15, 2011 at 3:28am

I checked this out on Google Maps, how interesting!  I am not up that way too often...would CDOT be the source to find out what is up?

Permalink Reply by Duppie on November 15, 2011 at 3:40am

You are referring to the Weber Spur. See a previous discussion on this subject here:

http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/offroaddirt-trails-on-the?...

Permalink Reply by The Doty on November 15, 2011 at 12:45pm

I ride the weber spur once or twice a week for the fun of it.  They keep doing different work (cutting down tall grass, laying down mulch, removing rocks) on it that changes what sort of ride you get, but it's always been doable on my mtb(although 2 feet of soft mulch is slooooow going).  The northern end of it basically connects to the north shore channel trail just south of Touhy, so it could be useful for transit.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on November 15, 2011 at 1:04pm

Are they preapring/grading for an evnetual paving, or are they just doing maintenance like mowing grass?

The Doty said:

I ride the weber spur once or twice a week for the fun of it.  They keep doing different work (cutting down tall grass, laying down mulch, removing rocks) on it that changes what sort of ride you get, but it's always been doable on my mtb(although 2 feet of soft mulch is slooooow going).  The northern end of it basically connects to the north shore channel trail just south of Touhy, so it could be useful for transit.

Permalink Reply by The Doty on November 15, 2011 at 1:14pm

Most of it looks like general maintenance: cutting down the weeds which were above my head, cutting the grass, picking up trash.  I'm not sure why they did the mulch, though.  First they put a ton of it over a previously muddy section and then that seemed to spread to a nearby section.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 16, 2011 at 10:28am

This was studied in the Chicago Trails Plan.  Of all the abandoned or underused rail lines, this one is one of the easiest to convert into a trail.  My understanding is that there are future plans to create a paved trail here, and that it's a matter of funding. The proposal I saw would connect with the North Shore Channel trail, as you noted.

Anyone else got info on this?

Duppie said:

Are they preapring/grading for an evnetual paving, or are they just doing maintenance like mowing grass?

The Doty said:

I ride the weber spur once or twice a week for the fun of it.  They keep doing different work (cutting down tall grass, laying down mulch, removing rocks) on it that changes what sort of ride you get, but it's always been doable on my mtb(although 2 feet of soft mulch is slooooow going).  The northern end of it basically connects to the north shore channel trail just south of Touhy, so it could be useful for transit.

Permalink Reply by The Doty on November 16, 2011 at 11:05am

I went for a ride today and snapped some pictures this time for the curious: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thedoty/sets/72157628143770944/

Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on November 16, 2011 at 11:21am

How far north does the rideable section actually go?

Permalink Reply by Steve Tanner on November 16, 2011 at 12:19pm

I grew up right near this route. There was a recent article in the local paper about the various bike route extensions in the area, but it's hard to tell if this is referring to the Webster Spur or the continuance of the 1 mile Sauganash Trail

http://www.nadignewspapers.com/Newspapers/10-5-11%20Press.pdf

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 16, 2011 at 12:38pm

What's described in the article sounds like it would line up with the existing Sauganash Trail, but would start over 1 mile north of the end of the Sauganash Trail (Devon).  All of this is west of the Weber Spur.

Steve Tanner said:

I grew up right near this route. There was a recent article in the local paper about the various bike route extensions in the area, but it's hard to tell if this is referring to the Webster Spur or the continuance of the 1 mile Sauganash Trail

http://www.nadignewspapers.com/Newspapers/10-5-11%20Press.pdf

Permalink Reply by The Doty on November 16, 2011 at 12:58pm

Paul, I wouldn't ride it with skinny street tires.  Fat ones like the big apple work good, though.

 

Has anyone tried a cross bike?

Permalink Reply by Duppie on November 16, 2011 at 3:05pm

Here is a map that displays locations of both the Weber Spur (proposed) and the Sauganash trail (existing).

 

Hopefully, someday the Sauganash trail will link up to the existing Skokie Valley Line in the northern suburbs. It's the same abandoned railroad right of way.

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