C OMMISSION T HE N ORTHEASTERN I LLINOIS P LANNING I MPLEMENTATION P ROGRAM G REENWAY A ND T RAIL O PPORTUNITIES G REENWAYS A ND T RAILS And the Department of Natural Resources And the Illinois Department the Forest District of Cook County Preserve I LLINOIS R EGIONAL Adopted by NIPC. June 19, 1997 N ORTHEASTERN Illinois Prairie Trail Authority, and additional support from and additional support P ROJECT O PENLANDS With the funding from A ND S UMMARY A M AP O F Developed by A ND northeastern illinois planning commission I LLINOIS P LANNINGT HE N ORTHEASTERN by in 1957 created C OMMISSION (NIPC) was be the Illinois General Assemblythe to advisory planning agency comprehensive six-county metropolitan the for Illinois Planning area. The Northeastern charges: Commission three the gave Act conduct research and collect data for To local advise and assist planning; to prepare comprehensive and to government; development guide the plans and policies to Kane, counties of Cook, of the DuPage, McHenryLake, and Will. O PENLANDS is a nonprofit P ROJECT protecting, to organization dedicated and enhancing open space - expanding, natural a healthy provide - to land and water place for and a more livable environment region. people of the all the the : Recognizing CKNOWLEDGMENTS A importance of of a region-wide network Authority Illinois Prairie Trail trails, the Illinois Northeastern the with contracted Planning Commission and Openlands Project Regional of the an update develop to funds were Plan. Additional Greenways effort this to Illinois the provided by Department and the Resources of Natural Preserve of Cook County. District Forest I LLINOIS R EGIONAL G REENWAYS T HE N ORTHEASTERN was P ROGRAM A ND T RAILS I MPLEMENTATION Illinois Nature help of the the with developed PreservePreserves Forest Commission, the Preserve Forest the of Cook County, District Forest the County, of DuPage District Lake the Preserve County, of Kane District Preserve McHenry the District, County Forest County Conservation Forest the District, the Preserve of Will County, District transportation the planning liaisons for county, and many Council of Mayors, staffmunicipal and park district members and citizens. NORTHEASTERN ILLINOIS REGIONAL GREENWAYS AND TRAILS IMPLEMENTATION PROGRAM An Executive Summary*

WISCONSIN REGIONAL GREENWAYS PLAN NAMES AND CODES MC HENRY CO. ILLINOIS LAKE CO. Jo Daviess Stephenson Boone Lake Des Plaines Winnebago N i eek Creek p Cr Mc Henry p Galena Waukegan Harvard e 94 w r a s Mc Henry s i Rockford a n C C D P C 32 Bowes Creek GW 16 Prairie Trail to West Loop isc k OOK OUNTY U AGE OUNTY Freeport Belvidere Lake P Trail Connection GT, GIT Waukegan 1 Spring Creek System GW 1 Illinois Prairie Path - 33 Riverbend Trail GT Crystal Lake Michigan Elgin Branch GT,GIT 17 Cotton Creek GW 2 Des Plaines River Corr. GT,GW,GIT 36 Kirk Rd. Trail GT Carroll Ogle Cook River De Kalb Kane 2 Wayne Trail Corridor GT 18 McHenry to Cary Conn. GT Savanna Fox 3 EJ &E Corridor GT 38 Illinois Prairie Path - Woodstock Grayslake 3 E J & E R.R. Corridor GT Geneva Spur GT 19 Fox River Spring Run GW Elgin

4 Crabtree to Deer Grove r e Du Page

v DeKalb River

Corridor GT 4 Pratt's Wayne Corridor GT 39 Fabyan Parkway Trail GT 20 Silver Creek GW i Kishwaukee

R r Chicago e

5 Crabtree Trail GT 5 Pratt's Wayne/ 40 Fermilab Trail GT 21 Com Ed Corridor GT v Whiteside i River

Lee R Sterling River West Branch Trail GT,GW Dixon 6 Algonquin Rd. Bike Path GT 41 Illinois Prairie Path - 22 Sleepy Hollow Cr. SystemGW Aurora Chicago Hawthorne 6 Woodland Hills Corridor GT Batavia Spur GT R. Woods Lake Michigan 7 Paul Douglas Trail GT 23 Boone Creek System GW ck Ro Kendall Will 7 Schick Rd. Corridor GT 42 Red Oak Trail GT i 8 Poplar Creek Reserve 24 Union Pacific to p p 90 i to Paul Douglas Corridor GT 8 S. Bartlett Rd. Corridor GT 44 Mill Creek System GW Prairie Trail Connection GT s s i La Salle s COOK CO. 9 Poplar Creek System GW 9 West Branch Trail GT 48 Great Western Trail to 25 Kishwaukee River SystemGW is Joliet KANE M Henry Bureau SW Kane Forest Preserve Moline Fox CO. 10 Poplar Creek Trail GT 10 Lies Rd Corridor GT 26 Union Pacific to Com Ed er Loop Connection GT Riv 11 EJ & E to County Line 11 Klein Creek GW Corridor Connection GT Grundy 49 Fabyan Trail to Forest Rock Island Princeton La Salle-Peru 290 Road Corridor GT 12 Mallard Lake Trail GT 27 N. Br. Kishwaukee 294 Evanston Preserve Loop Conn. GT River System GW Morris 90 12 EJ & E to Fox River TrailGT Illinois Kankakee Elgin 94 13 Clause Rec Area C 50 SW Kane Forest Mercer Putnam Ka Hoffman 28 Rush Creek System GW n h k i 13 Streamwood Bike Route Rte. Bike Corridor GT a Estates c Preserve Loop GT ke er a e iv r go 29 Mud Creek GW R e

14 Bartlett Bike Route Rte. 14 Spring Brook Cr. (North)GW v Salt 51 Blackberry Creek SystemGW Kankakee i

30 Huntley-Union - Marengo Knox Marshall R DU PAGE CO. 190 15 Schaumburg Bike RoutesRte. 15 North Central Bikeway 52 Virgil Gilman Trail GT Livingston Corridor GT (H.U.M.) Corridor GT 16 Salt Creek Trail GT,GW 90 River 53 Welch Creek System GW 31 Coon Creek System GW 16 E. Branch DuPage River GW 290 17 DesPlaines Corridor to 54 Youngs Creek GW Map 3: Conceptual Map of Ned Brown Corridor GT,Rte. 17 East Branch DuPage 32 H.U.M. to Com Ed Creek River Corridor GT,GW 55 Big Rock Creek System GW Corridor Connection GT 18 Ned Brown Trail GT Wheaton 290 56 Blackberry Creek to SW 33 S. Br. Kishwaukee SystemGW Fox 19 Salt Creek System GW 18 I-355 Corridor GT Chicago Kane F. P. Loop Conn. GT PUBLIC SUPPORT SPURS GREENWAY PLAN 88 19 Medinah Rd. Corridor GT 34 H.U.M. to Pleasant Valley 20 Palatine Trail to Paul 57 Blackberry Creek Corr. GT, GW Connection GT Douglas Route Rte. 20 Meacham Creek GW UPDATE 88 55 58 Deerpath Rd. Corridor GT 35 Eakin Creek GW 21 Palatine Trail GT 21 Swift Prairie/Salt Creek Aurora 355 59 Indian Trail Rd. Corridor GT 36 H.U.M. to Lake in the River 22 Deer Grove Trail GT Park Connection GT On June 19, 1997, the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission adopted 60 Illinois Prairie Path - Hills Trail Connection GT 94 90 23 Hintz Road Route Rte. 22 Addison Corridor GT the Regional Greenways and Trails Implementation Program, an update 294 Aurora Branch GT 37 Pleasant Valley to Lake in es 23 Addison Road Corridor GT WILL CO. in 24 Wheeling Drainage DitchGW the Hills Trail Conn. GT, GW st Br. Pla 62 Waubonsee Creek Trail and replacement to the 1992 Northeastern Illinois Regional Greenways Ea es r D 24 Salt Creek Corridor GT,GW e Calumet Sag Channel v 25 McDonald Creek GW to Scheffer Road Corr. GT 38 Woods Creek System GW i 55 Plan Map. This map is an important part of this Program, reflecting proposed R Lemont 57 26 Techny Corr. to Des Plaines 25 Commercial St. Route Rte. 63 Waubonsee Creek Corr. GT, GW 39 Lake in the Hills Trail GT Li ttl River Corridor Route Rte. 26 Church Rd. Route Rte. expansions and additions to existing trails and greenways. Since the 1992 e C 64 Montgomery Corridor GT 40 Crystal Creek GW alu met 27 West Glenview Rail Corr.GT 27 Eastern Lake St. CorridorGT R 41 Prairie Trail to plan, the size of the greenway network has nearly tripled, the trail component iver 28 Techny Corridor GT 28 Lake St./IPP Corridor GT Cary Connection GT LAKE COUNTY 294 29 Middle Fork of the North 29 Great Western Tail GT,GIT 42 Spring Creek GW alone has doubled from 1000 miles to 2000 miles. The region’s greenway 1 Fox River GW 80

e g ko Branch Chicago River GW River ic ry network is unprecedented around the country. a Joliet H Park 30 Harger Rd. Trail GT C INDIANA 2 Des Plaines River P r. u 30 GT,GW,GIT D Forest 31 York Rd./22nd St. Trail GT System and Trail GW, GT, GIT WILL COUNTY

31 GT ILLINOIS 32 Ginger Creek System GW 3 Bluff Lake to Lake Marie 1 Virgil Gilman to Increasing appreciation by citizens of the values of open space, greenways, 80 32 West Fork of the North Shoreline Corridor GW Du Page River Corridor GT 33 Fullersburg Trail GT Des Plaines Branch Chicago River GW and trails is evidenced by referenda passed for open space protection in the 34 Lacey Creek GW 4 Sequoit Creek GW 2 Des Plaines River SystemGW 33 N. Shore Channel Trail GT,GW region, as well as by federal and state initiatives and programs. Results of 35 Illinois Prairie Path - 5 Deer Lake to 3 Lincoln Highway Corr. GT 34 Skokie Swift Corridor GT Main Stem GT Redwing Slough System GW 4 E, J & E Corridor GT local government and developer surveys show that residents are ranking 55 57 35 N. Br. Trail to Des Plaines 36 Winfield Creek GW 6 Mill Creek System GW 5 West Norman Drain GW River Corridor Route Rte. trails and open space highest on lists of desired community amenities. Peotone 37 Timber Ridge Trail GT 6 East Norman Drain GW 36 Weber Spur GT 38 Blackwell Trail GT Connections 7 Wolf Creek System GW Wilmington 37 Evanston Route Rte. 7 Van Patten Woods to This update was made necessary by several factors. Continuing urbanization K 39 Illinois Prairie Path - 8 Du Page River Corridor GT, GW a n k 38 North Shore Lakefront GW a Geneva Spur GT Robert McClory Bike PathGT 9 Clow Creek GW of the region imposes stresses on stream corridors and other natural resources k 39 Chicago Lakefront ee 40 Great Western Trail Ext. GT 15 Wadsworth to Illinois Ri and Trail GT,GW,GIT 10 Du Page River System GW which need to be identified for preservation. These pressures will increase: ver 41 Kress Creek GW Beach State Park GT 40 Chicago River Corridor GT,GW,GIT 11 Springbrook Creek Corr. GT, GW the population in the outer counties is forecasted to increase 70 to 100 42 Fermi Lab Trail GT 16 Rollins Savanna to Des Plaines 41 North Branch Chicago River Trail at Wadsworth GT, GW 12 West Branch Du Page percent by 2020. In addition, the continuing progress by all levels of River Corridor GT,GW 43 West Branch DuPage River Corridor GT, GW River System GW 25 Washington St. Corridor GT Map 4: Potential Location of Water-Based Trails 42 Valley Line GT 13 East Branch Du Page government in the development of trails and protection of natural areas has 44 Illinois Prairie Path - 27 Greenbelt Woods to River Corridor GT, GW 43 Irving Park Corridor GT Independence Grove GT created new opportunities and support for enhancing the regional system Aurora Branch GT 14 Lily Cache Creek SystemGW WHAT ARE THE KEY FEATURES OF THE PLAN 44 Illinois Prairie Path GT,GIT 45 Danada Trail GT 39 Buffalo Creek to Ryerson Woods GT 15 Lockport Road Corridor GT and to establish links within it. 45 Illinois Prairie Path to 46 Herrick Lake Trail GT DOCUMENT? Centennial Trail CorridorGT 40 Ryerson Woods to 16 Plainfield, Romeoville, 47 DuPage River Pathway- West Chicago River GT Lockport, Loop GT, GW 46 Illinois Prairie Path to West Branch GT,GW The plan includes numerous actions that would contribute to implementation Blvd. Network Route Rte.,GIT 43 Grainger Woods to 17 Centennial Trail GT, GW, GIT 48 Ferry Creek GW WHAT ARE THE KEY FEATURES OF THE REGIONAL of the plan. These recommended actions in the plan are not necessarily 47 Boulevard Network GT,GIT Prairie Wolf Slough GT 18 Chicago Sanitary and 49 Illinois Prairie Path - Ship Canal GW site specific, but may indicate general priority areas. In the plan, these 48 Chicago River to Batavia Spur GT GREEN WAYS MAP?(MAP 1) Lakefront Connections GT,GIT 8 Lake Michigan 19 I & M Canal GW 50 Eola Rd. Bikeway Corr. GT action recommendations are grouped and listed under the appropriate 49 Boulevard Network to Tributaries & Ravines GW 20 W. Homer Township Corr.GT The regional map provides a 1997 update of existing and proposed major Dan Ryan Woods Corr. GT 51 Waubonsee Creek GW 9 Kellogg Ravine GW 21 Long Run Creek System GW open space and trails, and recommendations for revised and new greenway objective. The eight general objectives identified in the plan are contained 50 Southwest Transit 52 Oswego Road Bikeway 10 Robert McClory Bike PathGT 22 E. Homer Township Corr.GT in the following list. Corridor GT Bikeway GT 11 Robert McClory Bike Path 23 Spring Creek System GW and trail corridors and linkages. Proposed trail corridors as illustrated are 53 Spring Brook Cr. (South)GW 51 Mud Lake Portage Illinois Beach Loop GT 24 Fiddyment Creek System GW conceptual; final alignments would correspond to county and municipal Corridor GT,GW,GIT 54 83rd St. Corridor GT Objective 1: Preserve Additional Greenway Open Space 12 Bull Creek GW 25 Lockport/North Homer planning efforts. 52 Midway Bikeway GT 55 Woodward Ave Corridor GT 13 Dead River GW Township Corridor GT Objective 2: Preserve and Improve the Quality and Biodiversity of 53 I&M Canal GT,GW 56 75th Street Bikeway Corr.GT 14 Waukegan River GW 26 Mink Creek System GW With the support and involvement of local governments, numerous greenways 54 Chicago Ridge to 57 Hinsdale Bike Route Rte. 17 West Loop Trail GT, GIT 27 Black Road Bridge Conn.GT, RTE Existing Open Space, including Greenways Summit Corridor GT 58 Madison St. Corridor GT 18 Squaw Creek GW 28 Rock Run Creek CorridorGT, GW and trails were identified, which NIPC and Openlands assembled into a 55 Centennial Trail GT,GW,GIT 59 Madison St. Route Rte. 19 Fox Lake Metra Corridor GT 29 Heritage Trail GT, GW, GIT coordinated network. Regional workshops, and other forums which guided Objective 3: Improve the Effectiveness and Use of Trails 56 W. Homer Township Corr. 60 Sawmill Creek System GW to Centennial Trail Conn.GT 20 West Loop Trail to 30 Gaylord Donnelly Trail GT, GW, GIT 61 91st St. Corridor GT Volo Bog Corridor GT the design of this plan, raised two primary issues: (1) the need for more 57 Tampier to Cal Sag 31 Fraction Run Cr. System GW Objective 4: Expand the Existing Regional Trail System and Create Connection GT 62 Frontage Rd. Corridor GT 21 Fish Lake to 32 Spring Creek Corridor GT, GW east-west trail linkages to the many north-south trails; and (2) the desire Wooster Lake Drainage GW Linkages 58 Tampier to Tinley Creek 33 Marley Creek System GW for more loop trails. The 1995 regional inventory of local and subregional Preserve Connection GT KANE COUNTY 22 Moraine Hills to West Loop Trail CorridorGT, GIT 34 Wabash Corridor GT existing and proposed bikeways was used in identifying strategic additions 59 Tinley Creek Trail GT 1 Fox River and spring runsGW Objective 5: Expand the Region’s Efforts to Protect, Restore and Utilize 23 Mutton Creek GWL 35 Frankfort to 60 Cal Sag Trails 2 Harmony Creek GW Orland Park Corridor GT to the regional trail system. Updating the map included digitizing the Water-Based Green ways (North and South Banks) GT,GW 24 Rollins Savanna to 3 Hampshire Creek SystemGW Riverhill F.P.D. Corridor GT 36 Hickory Creek System GW corridors using NIPC’s Geographic Information System (GIS), allowing 61 Stony Creek Corridor GT,GW 4 Burlington Creek SystemGW 26 Gurnee to Robert McLory 37 Hickory Creek Corridor GT, GW various analyses such as adjacent land use characteristics and comparison Objective 6: Improve the Transportation Benefits of Trails 62 Alsip Corridor GT 5 Route 72 Corridor Bike Path GT 38 Hickory Cr. Junction Tr. GT with population and employment statistics. 63 Stony Creek GW Bike Path GT 28 EJ&E Corridor GT 39 GT, GW Objective 7: Sustain and Strengthen the Funding Base for Trails and 64 Rock Island Corridor GT 6 Eakin Creek GW 29 North Shore Bike Path GT, GIT 40 Joliet Downtown Another feature of the plan and map is the focus on streams, which are Greenways 65 Major Taylor Trail GT 7 S. Br. Kishwaukee River GW 30 Route 53 Corr. (Proposed Bike Route RTE, GIT 66 CDOT Calumet 8 Huntley to Elgin Conn. GT I-355 extension) Bike Tr. GT 41 Sugar Run Creek System GW key determinants of many greenways. Healthy stream corridors are Loop Network GT Objective 8: Continue the Tradition of Innovative Trail and Greenway 10 W. Fox River Corridor GT, GW 31 Flint Creek System GW 42 Wauponsee Glacial Trail GT increasingly recognized as important landscape features for local 67 Nickel Plate Connector GT. 11 Bolz Rd. Corridor GT 32 Rt. 14 Corridor Bike PathGT 43 Cedar Creek System GW Planning in Northeastern Illinois 68 Calumet River GW 33 Rt. 22 Corridor GT 44 Brandon Dam to communities. Stream greenways can provide valued opportunities for 69 Grand Calumet River Fox River Trail Connections 34 Cuba Marsh to Wilmington Corridor GT canoeing and kayaking; they are focal points for environmental education Corridor GT,GW Implementation of the Regional Greenways and Trails Implementation 9 Huntley to Fox River Deer Grove Corridor GT 45 I & M Canal State Trail GT, GW,GIT and stewardship; they can be rich centers of biodiversity; and they can 70 Burnham Corridor GT,GIT Trail Corridor GT, RTE 35 Buffalo Creek GW 46 Channahon to Des Plaines Program will require a partnership effort among state natural resource and 71 Little Calumet River GW 13 Higgins Rd. Corridor GT 36 Indian Creek GW Conservation Area Corr. GT provide important water quality and flood mitigation functions. transportation agencies, forest preserve and park districts, county and 72 Greenwood Corridor GT 14 Dundee Road Corridor GT 37 Buffalo Grove/Vernon 47 Des Plaines Conservation Area/Midewin Tr. System GT municipal governments, conservation and recreation advocacy organizations, 73 South Holland Parks 15 to Schweitzer Woods GT Hills to EJ&E ConnectionGT The map includes the locations of Illinois Nature Preserves and sites on System Trails GT 48 Grant Creek System GW and private landowners. Specific actions to implement the eight objectives 16 to Sleepy Hollow GT 38 Buffalo Creek to Wright the Illinois Natural Areas Inventory. Many of these high quality areas are 74 South Park Route Rte. Woods Connection GT 49 Jackson Creek System GW 18 to Tyler Creek GT are detailed in the plan document 75 162nd/167th Route GT 41 West Fork Chicago River 50 Prairie Creek System GW within designated greenways and existing open space and need to be 19 Elgin Corridor GT 76 Midlothian Creek GW Trail GW 51 Garden Grove to 21 S. Elgin Corridor GT protected. The regional trail system may, where appropriate, provide 77 Orland Trail Loop GT 42 W. Fork N. Br. Chicago Manhattan Corridor GT 34 Red Gate Rd. Corridor GT River GW opportunities for viewing these areas, but care must be taken to protect WHAT IS A GREENWAY? 78 Sieden Prairie Conn. GT 52 Illinois Central Corridor GT 35 Wayne Corridor GT 44 Middle Fork, 79 Butterfield Creek Corr. GT,GW 53 Thorn Creek GW fragile Natural Area resources from adverse impacts. Unprotected natural 43 N. Aurora Corridor GT N. Br. Chicago River GW, GT A greenway is a corridor of open space. Greenways vary greatly in 80 Hickory Creek System GW 54 Plum Creek to areas sites need to be given preservation status through acquisition or other 45 Main Street Corridor GT 45 Green Bay Trail GT, GIT Illinois Central Corridor GT scale, from narrow ribbons of undeveloped landscape that run through 81 Long Run Creek GW 46 West Bank Geneva Trail GT 46 Middle Fork Corridor GT 55 Crete/Beecher Corridor GT means. 82 Spring Creek (Orland) GW urban and suburban development, to wide corridors that incorporate 47 Geneva Corridor GT 47 U.S. 41 Corridor GT 56 Plum Creek Corridor GT, GW 83 Marley Creek System GW diverse natural and cultural features. A greenway can be land- or water- 61 Scheffer Road Corridor GT 48 Skokie River GW 57 Plum Creek System GW An important function of the Regional Greenways and Trails Implementation 84 Old Plank Road Trail GT,GIT 49 Lake Michigan ShorelineGW 58 Bull Creek GW Program and the plan map is to support the programs of open space based. It can incorporate both public and private property, but always 85 Matteson Corridor GT 12 County Line Corridor GT 59 Pike Creek System GW provides benefits for the larger community. Some greenways are 86 Butterfield Creek GW jurisdictions which are working to preserve and manage greenway corridors. 17 Jelkes Creek GW MCHENRY COUNTY 60 Trim Creek System GW 87 Vincennes Corridor GT primarily recreational corridors, while others function almost exclusively 20 Illinois Prairie Path - 1 Fox River System GW 61 Beecher to Midewin Corr.GT Much of the on-the-ground implementation will occur through the initiative 88 Lansing Corridor GT,GIT for environmental protection and are not necessarily intended for Elgin Branch GT 2 Beaver Creek System GW 62 Exline Slough GW of the forest preserve and conservation districts, park districts, municipalities, 89 Lansing Corridor/Lansing 22 Otter Creek System GW 3 Hebron to substantial human passage. Some greenways run along stream corridors, Woods Trail Connection GT,GIT 63 S. Branch Rock Creek GW and state and federal agencies, including the Illinois Department of Natural 23 Central Kane Corridor GT Boone County Corridor GT, GIT 90 Lansing Woods Trail GT,GIT 64 Marshall Slough GW shorelines or wetlands; others follow old railway tracks or other land- 24 Fitchie Creek GW 4 Mokeler Creek System GW Resources. The open space, outdoor recreation, and natural resource 91 Thorn Creek Corridor GT,GW,GIT 65 Black Walnut Creek GW based features. 25 CGIX RR Corridor GT 5 W. Br. Piscasaw advocacy organizations of the region play an invaluable role in plan 92 Illinois Central Corridor GT Creek System GW 66 Rock Creek System GW 26 Tyler Creek System GW 93 Sauk Trail Woods Loop GT 6 Lawrence Creek System GW 67 Forked Creek System GW implementation. 27 Coon Creek GW Greenways differ in their location and function, but overall a greenway 94 Sauk Trail Corridor GT 7 Union Pacific Corridor GT 68 Jordan Creek System GW 28 Great Western Trail GT network will protect natural and cultural resources, provide recreational 95 Steger to Old Plank 8 Nippersink Creek SystemGW 69 Kankakee River System GW Road Trail Corridor GT 29 Hampshire to Great 70 Dresden Cooling Lake GW opportunities, improve and sustain hydrological functions, and enhance Western Trail Corridor GT 9 N. Br. Nippersink 96 Deer Creek GW Creek System GW 71 Wilmington to 30 Ferson Creek System GW the natural beauty and the quality of life in neighborhoods and 97 Lansing Drainage Ditch GW 10 Hebron Trail Corridor GT, GIT Godley Corridor GT 31 Stony Creek GW communities. 11 Lake Geneva Transit 72 Wilmington to Kankakee Authority Corridor GT River State Park CorridorGT, GW 12 Prairie Trail GT, GIT 73 Terry Creek GW GW = Water-Based Greenway 13 Nippersink Creek to Chain 74 Kankakee River to WHAT MAKES A GOOD GREENWAY? RTE = On Street Route O’Lakes State Park Conn.GT Kankakee County Corr. GT 75 Horse Creek System GW GT = Land-Based Greenway 14 Dutch Creek System GW Each greenway project offers some combination of the following 15 Lily Lake Drain GW GIT = A Segment of the *This map is intended as an overview of the officially adopted Northeastern Illinois Regional characteristics. Grand Illinois Trail Greenways and Trails Implementation Program. For a copy of the complete text, contact the Illinois Prairie Trail Authority, Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) at benefits large population in many communities 222 South Riverside Plaza, 60606, (312) 454-0400, or Openlands Project (OLP) at 25 East Washington Street, Chicago, Illinois 60602, (312) 427-4256. bridges gaps to help complete existing greenways creates new connection between existing greenways provides wildlife (animal and plant) migration paths between isolated natural areas protects tributary streams to preserve water quality and ecological value in main regional waterways protects residential and commercial areas threatened by flood damage improves access to recreational trails where it is currently lacking protects high quality natural areas threatened by development offers a variety of recreational uses provides alternative transportation routes (i.e., walking, bicycling) and improves access to public transportation systems