Bike path to hook up parks in Schaumburg, Hanover Park

Construction could begin this fall on a proposed milelong bike path that would connect parks in Hanover Park and Schaumburg.

Hanover Park trustees recently approved a joint agreement with the Illinois Department of Transportation, which will pay 80 percent of construction up to $352,000. Of the remaining 20 percent, Hanover Park will pay 86 percent, with Schaumburg chipping in 14 percent.

Hanover Park village engineer Bill Beckham expects the 10-foot-wide path to cost between $400,000 and $500,000. It will start at Kingsbury Drive near Ranger Park in Hanover Park and run due east along a natural gas pipeline to Atcher Park at Springinsguth Road in Schaumburg.

"We think it'll be a nice addition to Hanover Park as a whole and to the northern section of the village in particular," said Beckman, adding that Hanover Park doesn't boast as many bike paths as its neighbors.

IDOT will likely start the bidding process in September, with the possibility of construction wrapping up before winter shuts down the project.

In addition to approving the IDOT agreement, the Hanover Park board approved a $29,600 construction engineering contract for the bike path with project consultant URS Corp.