New interactive map shows available and planned shared-use paths in Lake County
Information on short and long-term path and transportation projects available at Lake County Division of Transportation site
With biking and other outdoor activities fast approaching, the Lake County Division of Transportation has introduced an interactive map showing all shared-use paths available or planned for walking, biking, and running.
Existing facilities, those included in LCDOT’s 5-year transportation improvement program and projects in the 2040 Non-Motorized Plan, are depicted in different colors on the map at lakecountyil.gov/pathplans.
“We often get asked about the projects planned for the coming years, so our team went to the drawing board to find innovative ways to show them to the public and our local partners,” said Shane Schneider, director of transportation/county engineer, when announcing the features.
LCDOT also is making Project Tracker, the software it uses to plan projects, available for public viewing. Through the interactive map, the 2023-2028 transportation improvement program and Project Tracker, visitors can access detailed information about each planned project, Schneider added.
The 5-year plan includes all preservation, modernization and expansion projects LCDOT will be working on during that time frame.
Project Tracker provides a deep dive into data and project information, location and scope, funding information by year and more, according to LCDOT.
Release of the interactive shared-use path map coincides with a major intersection expansion at Washington Street and Hunt Club Road in Gurnee, which includes associated bike path work.
Dual left-turn lanes and a right-turn lane will be added on all legs of the intersection, and plans call for a bike path connection on Hunt Club, north from Washington to near Dada Drive, to be built this year. Construction of an associated trail gap to east of the intersection may be delayed until 2025 because of water main work.
The Washington Street Bike Path Project envisions future trail extensions and connections.
“These are some key strategic connections we’re filling in the next couple of years along Washington Street,” Schneider said recently.
The initial piece calls for a 1.6-mile bike path connection between Sextant Drive in Grayslake and Almond Road in Gurnee, essentially connecting the College of Lake County with Woodland Middle School.
Two Lake County Board committees recently recommended appropriating $300,000 to acquire right of way for that project, noting the stretch is identified in the county’s non-motorized plan as a priority gap in the bike path network. Construction is targeted for 2025.
Filling future gaps will result in a continuous 9-mile trail path between the Des Plaines River trail west to the Round Lake area.