Update! Support the North Branch Trail Extension

With the new Cook County Commissioner redistricting, the Old Edgebrook neighborhood now falls into Commissioner Bridget Gainer's district. She has received letters from the Edgebrook Community Association and the neighbors of Old Edgebrook to put pressure to stop the trail extension. Construction is scheduled to begin November 30, 2015 and we need Commissioner Gainer to hear from supporters of the trail. Please consider calling or writing Commissioner Gainer an email stating your support, what the trail means to you and if you live in her district. It’s okay if you don’t live in her district, but it’s important to hear from the district constituents if they are supporters, find the district map here. Email her at Info@BridgetGainer.com or call her office at (312) 603-4210 to share your support of the trail extension. Please forward this email to fellow trail supporters.

 

Thank you for your help and support! Hopefully this time next year I will be seeing you at the trail ribbon cutting. 

Not familiar with the project? Check it out here. 

Thank you!!!!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Harry Lee on November 8, 2015 at 10:06am
The information you linked to was available two months before the public meeting to discuss it, based on the timeline you've supplied to this discussion, so I'm not sure how much more transparency you can ask for. I've had no problem getting information on this since discussions became active again- there have announcements of the meetings and reporters at the meetings. I don't know what more could be expected considering the number of agencies at work here- at some point they have to work together to come up with something before making the information public, and there looks like a lot more indicating that they have than there is indicating that they haven't.
Permalink Reply by Harry Lee on November 8, 2015 at 11:16am
Noted, the link was updated in 2015, but again, the switch to the west side of Central was done in 2014, announced, discussed and then the route was modified in 2015 (per your link) in response to the feedback that was provided, despite the claims of lack of transparencies and that neighbors weren't part of the process.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on November 8, 2015 at 12:21pm

Doesn't the setback make all of your safety concerns null and void? The setback means that the bicycle traffic will not be impacting your ability to enter and exit your neighborhood. By the time you are entering the intersection of Louie or Prescott and Central you have passed the bike path already. 70 ft mean that there can be easily 5 cars to the east of the bike path crossing waiting to turn onto Central. 

Looking a little closer at the picture that Bob posted it looks like the setback might be created exactly to alleviate these concerns. The picture shows that North of Louie and South of Prescott the path runs much closer to Central. 

The setback may have other disadvantages as Bob mentioned, but it sure does alleviate your safety concerns.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on November 8, 2015 at 12:12pm

I am a constituent of Bridget Gainer and I just emailed her to voice my support for the North Branch trail extension.

I followed this development for years. Everybody had their say, even if they don't like the outcome. It is time to get this trail built.

Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on November 9, 2015 at 10:59am

http://fpdcc.com/preserves-and-trails/plans-and-projects/north-bran...

Updated information on the North Branch Trail Extension

Permalink Reply by Duppie on November 10, 2015 at 2:43am
13 meetings have been held during the design phase. That means that the argument that there was not enough public input is misleading.

So the safety argument has been debunked, the lack of input argument has been debunked. What other arguments against the trail are there?
Permalink Reply by This PBL dosnt make me feel safe on November 10, 2015 at 6:02am

The trail will allow burglars and drugs dealers easier access to the Old Edgebrook community.

Permalink Reply by Mike Schwab on November 13, 2015 at 5:25am

On all trails, all the foot and bicycle traffic drives away homeless people and people looking to steal stuff.  Property values go up about 5-15%.

Permalink Reply by Petra Blix on December 1, 2015 at 6:22am

The safety argument has not been debunked. It is very real. The extension crossing Louise and Prescott was originally on the east side of Central. The FPD chose money over safety and moved it to the less safe west side of the street.

I'm not sure what 13 meetings you are referring to during the design phase. I reviewed all the meeting notes through the Freedom of Information Act. The initial planning meetings that I found were not open to the community during the design phase according to the meeting sign in sheets. There was one meeting with the Indian Road Community at their request, but that was not an open, publicized meeting. There was a Forest Glen meeting where community members asked for more information and input, but received no follow-up from the FPD. The ECA sponsored an open meeting inviting the FPD to present their plans (July 2014) and invited other communities to present alternative routes. The FPD held a meeting in August 2014 saying they would make no changes.

Per Kindy Kruller at the "Construction Briefing" last night, yet another community meeting with no community input allowed, the 70 foot set back between Louise and Prescott was decided on by the FPD, CDOT and Alderman Laurino. The community was not invited to participate in that planning process either. Holding meetings where there is no meaningful dialogue or exchange of ideas is not the same as holding a meeting where participation is a meaningful word.

Permalink Reply by Jim O'Reilly on November 10, 2015 at 3:02pm

The trail when built provides a great benefit to all the neighborhoods of Chicago.  I would love if the debates occurring here can get resolved to get this done.  Too many projects fail due to the conflicts that occur that are not resolved.  Let's move forward with the best plan to get this done for the benefit of the residents of Chicago.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on November 13, 2015 at 3:29am
Looks like the trail is moving forward as planned:
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20151113/edgebrook/construction-star...
Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on November 13, 2015 at 3:35am

That's great news. Thanks for sharing the article. 

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