ACTIVE CHOICES Champaign County Greenways & Trails Plan June 2014 Active Choices: Champaign County Greenways & Trails Plan Prepared by: Champaign County Regional Planning Commission 1776 East Washington Street Urbana, IL 61802 Phone: (217) 328-3313 Fax: (217) 328-2426 Web: www.ccrpc.org/greenways In cooperation with: Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Champaign County Greenways and Trails Technical and Policy Committees June 2014 Active Choices Acknowledgments Champaign County Greenways & Trails Plan Funding Agency Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) Charles Abraham, Manager of Program Support Amy Welk, Transportation Planner Greenways and Trails Policy Committee Greenways and Trails Technical Committee Members Members • Bobbie Herakovich, Champaign Park District, • Tim Bartlett, Urbana Park District, Chairperson Chairperson • Jeff Blue, Champaign County • Jerry Pagac, Champaign County Forest Preserve • Sally Prunty, Champaign County Forest Preserve District, Chairperson (retired) District • Vicki Mayes, Urbana Park District, Vice- • Susan Monte, Champaign County Regional Chairperson Planning Commission • Alan Kurtz, Champaign County • Andrew Weiss, Champaign Park District • Pattsi Petrie, Champaign County • Terri Gibble, Champaign Park District (former) • C. Pius Weibel, Champaign County (retired) • Cynthia Hoyle, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit • Dan Olson, Champaign County Forest Preserve District District • Jane Sullivan, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit • Cameron Moore, Champaign County Regional District Planning Commission • Rob Kowalski, City of Champaign • Bill Volk, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District • Chris Sokolowski, City of Champaign • Bruce Knight, City of Champaign • Mishauno Woggon, City of Champaign (former) • Bill Gray, City of Urbana • Brad Bennett, City of Urbana • Morgan Johnston, University of Illinois • Rebecca Bird, City of Urbana (former) • Mell Smigielski, Village of Mahomet • Amelia Neptune, University of Illinois (former) • Brent Maue, Village of Savoy • Dan Waldinger, Village of Mahomet • Toby Koontz, Village of Savoy • Victoria Becker, Village of St. Joseph Champaign County Regional Planning Commission Staff Gabe Lewis, Transportation Planner Rita Morocoima-Black, Planning & Community Development Director Jeremy Borrego, Transportation Planner (former) 3 Active Choices Champaign County Greenways & Trails Plan Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction..........................................................................................................................................8 2. Vision Statement....................................................................................................................................8 3. Plan Purpose.........................................................................................................................................9 4. Definitions..........................................................................................................................................10 5. Significance........................................................................................................................................11 6. Scope................................................................................................................................................11 7. The Roots of Champaign County’s Greenways and Trails............................................................................12 8. Plan Process........................................................................................................................................14 9. Literature Review..................................................................................................................................16 9.1 State Level..............................................................................................................................16 9.2 Local Level..............................................................................................................................19 10. Existing Conditions.............................................................................................................................40 10.1 Greenways...........................................................................................................................40 10.1.1 Champaign County..................................................................................................40 10.1.2 Champaign............................................................................................................51 10.1.3 Urbana..................................................................................................................60 10.1.4 Savoy.....................................................................................................................66 10.1.5 University of Illinois..................................................................................................69 10.1.6 Mahomet...............................................................................................................74 10.1.7 Rantoul..................................................................................................................77 10.1.8 St. Joseph...............................................................................................................82 10.2 Trails & Bikeways..................................................................................................................84 10.2.1 Champaign County..................................................................................................84 10.2.2 Champaign............................................................................................................85 10.2.3 Urbana..................................................................................................................91 10.2.4 Savoy.....................................................................................................................96 10.2.5 University of Illinois..................................................................................................97 10.2.6 Mahomet.............................................................................................................101 10.2.7 Rantoul................................................................................................................102 10.3 Environment......................................................................................................................104 10.3.1 Abiotic Elements....................................................................................................104 Air Quality.............................................................................................................104 Water Resources.....................................................................................................105 Wetlands........................................................................................................109 Floodplains.........................................................................................................111 Topography & Soils................................................................................................113 10.3.2 Biotic Elements......................................................................................................115 Wildlife & Habitat...................................................................................................115 Areas of Cultural, Natural, and Archeological Significance........................................117 11. Issues and Forces.............................................................................................................................119 12. Goals and Objectives.......................................................................................................................122 4 Active Choices Table of Contents Champaign County Greenways & Trails Plan 13. Design Guidelines...........................................................................................................................135 13.1 Introduction........................................................................................................................135 13.2 Off-Street Trails...................................................................................................................137 13.2.1 Shared-Use Trails..................................................................................................137 13.2.2 Nature Trails.........................................................................................................140 13.2.3 Sidewalks.............................................................................................................142 13.3 On-Street Facilities..............................................................................................................145 13.3.1 Bike Lanes............................................................................................................145 13.3.2 Shared Lane Markings...........................................................................................151 13.3.3 Bike Route............................................................................................................152 13.3.4 Shared Bike/Parking Lanes.....................................................................................153 13.3.5 Share the Road.....................................................................................................153