New bike path planned in Carol Stream

Plans are under way for construction of a new bike path on Kuhn Road in Carol Stream that would connect with existing trails in the village.

The 1.4-mile asphalt trail on the west side of Kuhn will start near Glenbard North High School and connect with recently completed park district trails at O’Rahilly and Red Hawk parks.

To the north, the trail will link to the village’s east-west Lies Road Trail. To the south, the park district trails will link with the county’s 12-mile Great Western Trail, located on the right-of-way of the former Chicago and Great Western Railroad.

“It’s an arterial that goes through a lot of different towns,” said Bill Cleveland, assistant village engineer. “(The Kuhn Road trail) will provide people in Carol Stream with access.”

Last week, the Glenbard High School District 87 board voted to approve an agreement with the village providing a temporary construction easement on Glenbard North property. The village will pay the school district $1,000 for the easement.

The village has also paid for rights of way from the Lutheran Church of the Master, 580 N. Kuhn Road, and Willow Square Shopping Center at Munson and Kuhn.

In total, the rights of way and Glenbard easement cost about $14,000 — 80 percent of which is funded through a federal grant program, Cleveland said.

Construction costs are estimated to be between $700,000 and $800,000, of which 75 percent also will be funded through the federal government.

Bidding is expected to take place in November, and construction on the first phase, south of Munson Drive, is expected to begin next spring. Construction on the second phase, north of Munson, will occur during the summer so it does not interfere with the regular academic year at Glenbard North, Cleveland said.