Illinois state park struggling to keep up with visitors

LA SALLE, Ill. (AP) - Starved Rock State Park is struggling to keep up with the more than 10 million visitors that have come to the Illinois park in the last four years.

Kerry Novak is the park's complex superintendent. He tells The News Tribune that the facilities and trails in Utica aren't equipped to handle the traffic they're seeing. He says the park faces a growing maintenance budget that's difficult to support.

Park officials are waiting to see how state legislators will address the park's budget concerns.

Republican Rep. Jerry Long of Streator says he feels a sense of urgency to address the issue as the state deals with its ongoing fiscal problems.

Novak says the park may need to limit visitors or raise fees to decrease the amount of traffic coming through.

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Information from: News-Tribune, http://www.newstrib.com