Cal-Sag Multi-Use Trail
Specialties: Site Development
Details
Years: 2004 - Present
Location: Cook County, IL
Size: 26 miles
The Cal-Sag Trail, located in southern Cook County, is a 26-mile-long bike trail along the Cal-Sag Channel and Little Calumet River. Due to the size and funding for the project, it was split into two segments. The west end of the project begins at Illinois Route 83 near Lemont and continues east to Cicero Avenue in Alsip. Construction of this segment is complete. The east end continues to the Burnham Greenway Trail near the Indiana state line. Construction is underway on several projects within this segment.
A total of 12 municipal, park district and forest preserve agencies are participating in the project in addition to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRDGC). The trail will become a key component of the Grand Illinois Trail by achieving connectivity to the Centennial Trail in Lemont (and the 92-mile DuPage County network) and the Burnham Greenway (and the entire Chicago bike trail network, including the Lakefront Trail) near the Indiana state line. Direct connectivity will also be achieved with the Tinley Creek Trail system, the Palos Forest Preserve Trail system as well as the Major Taylor Trail.
The project included preparation of a Phase I Project Development Report for each of the two segments. The preparation of the report involved the selection of the project corridor, topographic survey of the proposed path, development of horizontal and vertical geometrics, and public involvement. Alternative alignment studies were also performed at several locations to summarize the various opportunities and constraints for the various alignment choices.
New prefabricated steel bridge structures will be constructed at several locations across streams. In addition, slopewall modifications will be performed at numerous existing roadway bridge locations to allow the path to be constructed under the roadway adjacent to the channel.
TERRA’s project manager has been involved with the planning and design of the Cal-Sag Trail since its inception. He prepared applications for, and assisted in the obtaining of, vital federal funds. As a result, IDNR, STP, CMAQ and Enhancement dollars have been obtained to fund the entire project through construction. Since joining TERRA, he has continued to assist in the design of the east end. In addition, TERRA was selected to perform Phase III engineering for several individual projects on the east end.
