Winfield, forest preserve celebrating trail completion
A ribbon-cutting ceremony will mark the completion of a 3-mile stretch of the West Branch DuPage River Trail connecting Winfield Mounds and West DuPage Woods forest preserves through downtown Winfield.
The celebration is slated for 3 p.m. Thursday, June 21, on the trail in West DuPage Woods west of Gnarly Knots Pretzel Company, 27W570 High Lake Road. Parking is available east of Gnarly Knots.
The Forest Preserve District of DuPage County collaborated with the village of Winfield and the Winfield Riverwalk Committee to complete the segment and connect residents to Winfield Mounds Forest Preserve, West DuPage Forest Preserve, Wynwood Park, Lions Park, Oakwood Park, downtown Winfield, the Winfield Metra station and Northwestern Medicine Central DuPage Hospital.
"This trail segment is part of a districtwide initiative to connect our trails throughout the county to provide an environmentally friendly and conservation-minded alternate route for DuPage residents to travel," forest preserve President President Joe Cantore said. "This link is important to all of our trail users."
Winfield Village President Erik Spande agreed.
"Winfield is pleased to have a new trail that promotes health and wellness and provides recreational opportunities," he said. "When we work together, we can accomplish great things."
The 10-foot wide trail and bikeway meanders through downtown Winfield along the West Branch DuPage River and consists of 2.1 miles of crushed limestone screenings, 0.3 miles of asphalt, and 0.6 miles on street with striping and signage. It also features a 640-foot boardwalk and an 80-by-14-foot prefabricated bridge.
The $2.9 million project was supported by $2.2 million in federal funds through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program and the Transportation Alternatives Program administered by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning; $184,000 from the village; and $538,000 from the forest preserve district's construction development and bond funds.
The segment is one of the remaining critical links in the 23-mile West Branch DuPage River Trail, which will ultimately extend from the North Central DuPage Regional Trail in Hanover Park south to Will County, where it becomes the DuPage River Trail and connects with the I&M Canal Trail near Channahon.