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Surveys help refine DuPage County Trails Plan
The DuPage County Department of Transportation recently completed a survey that will help inform a trails plan that is expected to be approved this year.
The new trails plan, which has been in development for several years, will focus on the maintenance and operations of nearly 100 miles of trails, including the Illinois Prairie Path, Great Western Trail and Southern DuPage County Regional Trail.
Sid Kenyon, a senior transportation planner for DuDOT, recently shared the results of two public surveys that garnered 3,100 responses.
Kenyon said one of the major topics emphasized by survey respondents was the importance of signage and wayfinding.
Trail users want functional and useful signage, he said, that helps remind them of where they are on the trails and helps navigate them to other trails, major roads, downtown areas, and Metra Stations.
As a result, DuDOT is considering kiosks and other types of signage that have consistent branding and provide the optimal amount of information for trail users at appropriate locations along the trails.
“We know folks tend to like more information, but we want to find the best way to present that level of detail in a consistent, consolidated way,” Kenyon said. “We don’t want to create sign pollution, but we want to allow for our system to be assigned in a way that’s consistent.”
Trail etiquette also emerged as a concern among survey respondents. They cited speed limits for bikes as their top priority, with some respondents recommending banning e-bikes from the trails.
“We’re considering discussing how we might restrict the use of certain modes such as high-speed e-bikes … in order to reduce those conflicts between pedestrians and bicyclists,” Kenyon said.
The survey also indicated that respondents wanted more amenities along the trail like public bathrooms and bike repair stations.
To learn more about the plan, visit www.dupagetrailsplan.com.
During a recent webinar hosted by Active Transportation Alliance, advocates and governmental agencies connected with several west suburban trails shared details about various trail projects in the region. This blog post was drawn from the webinar.
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