NW Side trails and bikeways workshop May 25

Do you live on the Northwest Side and want to improve trails and bike routes in your neighborhood?

Would you like to learn more about supporting regional paths like a Chicago River Trail? There's still time to RSVP for our workshop on May 25 at Gompers Park Fieldhouse.

A key part of our plan for a Chicago River Trail involves engaging supporters like you who have in-depth knowledge about how to improve crossings and create low-stress bikeways. This workshop is the first in a series of meetings the Chicago River Trail campaign will convene along the river.

We'd love to collect your suggestions so they can inform important projects like the Weber Spur Trail and make connections to the North Channel Trail safer and more accessible. Moving these projects forward will also create the foundation for a Chicago River Trail. It's exciting to think about having safe and easy access to the city's diverse neighborhoods.

To get a better understanding of the 39th Ward area, I did some exploring with supporters Jim O'Reilly and Brian Sobolak. We were excited to discover the trails in Gompers Park — known locally as Big Gomp — had been freshly paved before we arrived.

After meeting at Foster and Kostner Avenues, we walked along Foster between the Edens Expressway and Pulaski Avenue and through Gompers Park and the North Branch extension.

We observed several opportunities to improve walking and biking conditions. They included:

• The need for protective railings on the Weber Spur bridge connection with the North Branch Trail extension.
• A need for signage in Gompers Park that directs pedestrians and bicyclists to the North Branch Trail.
• A gap in the trail along the Chicago River between Gompers Park and Eugene Field Park. Signage could be posted to alert pedestrians and bicyclists to alternative routes down Argyle and Ainslie Streets.
• Along Foster Avenue, guardrails could be installed to protect homes, bicyclists and pedestrians.
• Access to trails in Gompers Park have staircases at entry points, which could be redesigned so that bicyclists do not have to dismount.

Do you have ideas that could be added to this list? Please join us from 6:30-8 p.m. on Thursday, May 25 at Gompers Park Fieldhouse (4222 W. Foster Ave).

Please RSVP to Steve Simmons at Active Trans, 312-216-0472, steve@activetrans.org. Refreshments will be provided.

Would you like to receive updates? Become a Chicago River Trail campaign supporter here.