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Community meeting held on proposed Bronzeville trail
The Bronzeville Trail Project is picking up steam. Community members got to pitch ideas ideas about how the proposed trail should look.
BRONZEVILLE - A long-planned effort to transform a vacant stretch of rail line into a public trail in Bronzeville is moving forward, backed by what organizers say is strong community support.
Bronzeville Trail plans
The backstory:
Organizers, residents and elected officials gathered Wednesday evening at King College Prep to discuss the project's future and gather feedback on what pedestrians and cyclists would like to see along the trail.
The proposed Bronzeville Trail would convert the abandoned Kenwood branch of Chicago's rapid transit system into a 2-mile path for walking, running and biking. The trail would stretch from 40th Street and Dearborn Avenue to 41st Street and Lake Park Avenue.
Little remains of the former rail line beyond embankments, concrete walls and overgrown vegetation. The tracks and stations have long since been removed.
Project leaders say the trail would transform the unused corridor into a community destination while improving recreation, transportation and neighborhood connectivity.
An environmental study is underway, with the design phase expected to follow. The project carries an estimated price tag of $100 million.
What they're saying:
"We flat out believe this project will be most transformative in the history of Bronzeville," said John Adams, founder of the Bronzeville Trail Task Force.
"Yes this about recreation, it’s also about our health. We know these tracks have not been touched in over 50 years. We want to make a safe community and have a healthy community," said Ald. Lamont Robinson, 4th Ward.
"This will be great for our community, our children and our grandchildren, that’s why this is important," said Ald. Pat Dowell, 3rd Ward.
What's next:
Organizers had hoped Mayor Brandon Johnson would attend the meeting after expressing support for the project, but he canceled at the last minute. Senior officials from several city departments were on hand to answer questions and discuss the proposal.
The Source: The information in this report came from interviews with organizers, residents and elected officials at the Bronzeville Trail community meeting, along with information provided by the Bronzeville Trail Task Force and the City of Chicago.