The city of Chicago celebrated another milestone in their construction of a separated trail along Lake Michigan Sunday, as a new section of the trail was completed.
The trail, which will eventually run from Ardmore Avenue to 71st Street, is being separated for bike and pedestrian traffic, and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel was on hand to celebrate the completion of a stretch on the north end of the trail.
“Opening the trail from Fullerton to North Avenues greatly improves access to Chicago’s lakefront for the thousands of Chicagoans and visitors that travel the path each day,” the mayor said. “Trail separation does more than address issues of overcrowding; it builds a better future for one of the city’s greatest assets by ensuring Chicagoans and visitors are able to experience what the lakefront has to offer.”
The project, which is scheduled to be completed in 2018, will widen the trail to accommodate bikes and pedestrians. The bike trail will be 12 feet wide along the entire 18-mile stretch along the lake, with pedestrians enjoying a 20-foot-wide trail, according to the city.
According to estimates released by the city and the Active Transportation Alliance, more than 100,000 people use the trail every day during the summer.
The expansion project is designed to alleviate congestion at certain chokepoints along the trail, and will increase safety, according to the city.
