The Illinois Prairie Path Newsletter
Winter 1995

- Jean C. Mooring, Editor -

What To Look For and Enjoy:
Our Sculpture at Volunteer Park, Wheaton

Every part of the imaginative sculpture enhances the rail-trail theme. Made of artifacts mainly from the CA&E, the work incorporates rail sections salvaged from the former Wheaton Yards across the street, a rusty railroad wheel, and an original three-piece insulator assembly welded to the bottom of one of the rails. Atop the insulator is a small section of the fearsome Great Third Rail complete with electrical fittings. These components represent the old railroad. Welded to the top of the rails is a multiple-branched trail made of tie plates. Railroad spikes and bolts are the users joyfully walking, running or riding on the trail. There are even some fanciful trees. The crowning touch is the spike holes in the tie plates along the sides of the path; these "thousand points of light" honor the volunteers who conceived and first built the trail and are best viewed by looking up at the bright sky shining through them.

The national rails-to-trails movement started right here in DuPage County more than thirty years ago, and today brings pleasure to millions of people throughout the country. Great things can happen when government and citizens work together.

Railbanking Threatened In Congress

The trails community needs to keep a wary eye on the railbanking amendment because, if passed, it would devastate the rail-trail movement nationwide. For the current status of the legislation call the National Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Washington, either President David Burwell or Marianne Fowler, RTC's government affairs manager, at 202-797-5400. For background information we reprint the following article from the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy newsletter of July-September, 1995:

Railbanking -- a cornerstone of the rail-trail movement -- is under attack in the 104th Congress.

Proposed federal legislation will not only jeopardize the security of currently railbanked corridors (including those already developed as rail-trails) *, but will also prevent the acquisition of recently abandoned corridors and those that will be abandoned in the future.

"Some of the most extraordinary rail-trails in the country are railbanked corridors," said Marianne Fowler. "The Katy Trail in Missouri, the Minuteman Bikeway outside Boston, and the Capital Crescent Trail in Washington, D. C. -- it's almost impossible to comprehend the loss of these fantastic trails."

In 1983, Congress recognized that railroad abandonments were causing the loss of a valuable national asset -- railroad corridors. To head off these losses, Congress passed legislation to keep the corridors open for future transportation use while allowing them to be used as public trails in the interim. This law, Section 8 (d) of the National Trails Act, is known as the railbanking statute.

Since the law's implementation, a small group of disgruntled landowners has tried to stop railbanking and, therefore, rail-trails. These individuals believe the unused corridors should revert to private ownership, closing the door forever to continued public use ... [The amendment under consideration] would effectively redefine railbanking as a "taking" of private property and would require that adjacent landowners be compensated before a corridor could be railbanked and converted to a trail.

"Nothing is being taken from anyone when a rail corridor is railbanked, yet this proposed legislation will cripple railbanking," said Hal Hiemstra, RTC's vice president for national policy ... "RTC is dedicated to keeping the railbanking statute intact. In recent weeks, RTC has encouraged hundreds of affected citizens across the country to contact their Senators and Representatives."

"We need the help of all RTC members [and all tail users]" said Fowler. "The best thing you can do is pick up the phone and call your Congressional Representative. The general number for the House of Representatives is 202-224-3121." Fowler suggests telling your Representative that you strongly oppose any weakening of the railbanking statute and explaining railbanking and/or the rail-trail movement have enhanced your community.

* Editor's Note: The Illinois Prairie Path was acquired long before the railbanking statute was enacted. However, many other rail-trails in Illinois, now in use or proposed, could be endangered. When you contact your Congress-person, describe the ways a beautiful rail-trail like the IPP enhances your life.

Report on Annual Meeting

President Aeschleman reported on some of the Path activities during the year: the annual Earth Day cleanup, the booth at the Chicago Area Bicycle Dealers show at Rosemont, prairie re-planting at Volunteer Park, repairs to benches and display cases, the slide show presented by the Moorings to various civic groups, and support for a Boy Scout directional sign project, for the Salt Creek Trail project, and for the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, both national and state. He outlined goals for 1996, including expansion of our prairie restoration and port-o-let and trash barrel maintenance programs as well as of our role as a trail advocacy group. A major goal will be our assistance with landscaping of a 1000-foot section of the IPP north of National-Louis University (the former county courthouse) in Wheaton. This section is proposed for relocation from the right-of-way of the Union Pacific Railroad (formerly the Chicago and NorthWestern) to adjacent county-owned land. DuPage County DOT will begin the relocation next year. We also need to repaint the bridge over the East Branch of the DuPage River.

Treasurer Steve Plumb reported the good news that we finished the year without dipping into savings, $1,207 better than a year ago. Based on anticipated income of $39,000, our 1996 budget will allow us to expand our port-o-let and trash barrel program as planned. We will probably need to raise some additional funds for the long-awaited landscaping project at National-Louis University.

On behalf of the American Hiking Society, Projects and Maintenance Chairman Dick Wilson presented the National Trails Day 1995 Illinois Volunteers of the Year Award to Paul and Jean Mooring. The message on the handsome wood plaque donated by the Vibram Company reads: "...the story of trails in the United States has been written by volunteers."

Membership Chair David Tate stated that 732 new members had been enrolled in 1995 (more than 1000 since he began the drive in 1994), bringing the total of paid memberships to 1492. Membership dues brought in $30,187 this year, almost double the amount collected as recently as 1993. Illustrating his points with fact sheets, David listed our reasons for increasing the membership, including installation and maintenance of display cases, benches, signs, mile markers, trash barrels and comfort stations; publishing the newsletter; prairie restoration and trail landscaping; coordinating (and working on) Path cleanups; advocacy for trails; and special projects like the proposed landscaping in Wheaton and the grand finale for the Grand Illinois Trail Adventure on June 1, 1996 to be held somewhere along the Illinois Prairie Path.

Recognized for excellent work in updating our membership list and managing our office was Linda Plumb, who received an enthusiastic round of applause.

Ken Moss, who chaired the nominating committee, reported that three board members whose terms were expiring had agreed to run again: Ken himself, Nancy Becker, and Susan Wisniewski. All were reelected by acclamation. Ken announced with regret that longtime board member Nancy Hesler had decided to retire from the board because of health reasons and that a replacement would be needed very soon.

The featured speaker was Deborah Fagan, Principal Planner, Development Department, for the DuPage County Regional Planning Commission. Her topic was the new DuPage County Bikeway Plan, which is primarily designed to promote non-motorized alternative transportation (bicycling and walking). She and her staff have done an outstanding job mapping existing and proposed off-road trails, bike lanes and bike routes based on a system of ten "priority travel zones." The goal is to divert as many drivers as possible out of their cars and onto the energy-saving, pollution-free, healthful bikeways. To illustrate her talk she brought MAPS, lots of them, real fields of dreams, inspiring her listeners to think, "If you get them built, Debbie, we will come."

Four speakers provided quick updates: Paul Aeschleman on the IPP in Cook County, "The Phase 1 environmental impact study is finished and construction should start in 1996 if ISTEA funding is not cut"; Steve Plumb regarding the Salt Creek Greenway, "On schedule, $739,000 received for engineering to start soon, need $5.5 million to complete"; Keith Olson on prairie remnant restoration, "A Work Day is coming up at the North Avenue prairie, third Saturday in March"; Connie Schmidt on the Com Ed power lines, "Since February, 1991 an ad hoc group, the Wheaton/Warrenville Friends of the Prairie Path, has opposed Com Ed's plan to install 90-foot steel poles carrying 138-thousand-volt transmission lines along several miles of the Illinois Prairie Path Aurora Branch through Warrenville. This would effectively destroy the trees and the natural beauty of the trail and expose nearby homeowners to electromagnetic fields generated by the lines. In October, 1995 the Illinois Commerce Commission rubber-stamped the proposal even though there are better and no more expensive possible routes along Ferry Road, Diehl Road or I-88, the Friends contend. Now they will take the case to the appellate court in cooperation with the City of Warrenville, DuPage County, and the Citizens Utility Board. They need donations from all of us who love the Prairie Path." Call Connie at 630-393-6276.

The last speaker was Jean Mooring, who narrated the annual slide show, written by Paul Mooring. The show highlighted the work of our volunteers during the year and the outstanding contributions of various governmental agencies, especially the DuPage County Division of Transportation, the City of West Chicago, and the Kane County Forest Preserve district. DuPage County DOT has almost finished construction of the bridge over Eola Road on the Aurora Branch and the underpass under Eola Road on the Batavia Spur; work has just started on the long-awaited completion of the Geneva Spur in Winfield.

The meeting concluded with the traditional cider, cakes and cookies provided by board members and spouses. Benna Tate's delicious chocolate cake in the shape of our many-branched trail had everybody laughing over its tiny pretzel mile markers, its candy cornfield (on the Batavia Spur), its dainty chocolate railroad crossings, its blue nonpareil marshes, and especially its tasty riverboat casinos at the ends of the trail in Elgin and Aurora.

New Signs on Great Western Trail

Our New Liaison at DPCDOT

Assisting Chuck as the new trails liaison is Ruth Krupensky, a principal planner who has been with DOT for eight years. She is a bicyclist although she hasn't done much bicycling lately because she now lives too far from the Prairie Path. When she lived in Pinellas County, Florida, she did the Pinellas Trail preliminary study and also the bike plan for Pinellas County. She remains a fan of the IPP and can be reached at 630-665-1155 for trail information.

DuPage County Transportation Budget:
Long Term Consequences for IPP?

The carefully considered transportation plan depends on all four sources for funding. If the transportation impact fee is eliminated, as has been proposed, plus a significant portion of the property tax money, as has also been proposed, the motor fuel tax, gas tax and diminished property tax will not cover the costs of the ten-year plan. In the long run something will have to give and it might be trails, unless the county board thinks ahead and provides adequate funding for ALL county transportation needs.

1996 Midwest Bicycle Show

"The Illinois Prairie Path will have a display table at the 1996 Midwest Bicycle Show. The show will be held at the Rosemont Convention Center from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, February 24 and 25, 1996. Last year over 15,000 people attended the show.

"The Illinois Prairie Path will have maps and pictures on display, will answer questions and provide free literature on the Path and surrounding trails. In addition, we will sell Illinois Prairie Path maps, tee shirts, hats, patches and trail guides.

"Admission to the show is $7.00 for adults and $4.00 for children under 12. Coupons for $2.00 off the admission price can be picked up at bicycle stores in the Chicago metropolitan area.

"At the Midwest Bicycle Show you can view the 1996 product selection from the major bicycle and accessory manufacturers, attend seminars and clinics, view Pulp Traction cycling movies and watch bicycle stunt shows. Stunt show contracts are currently being negotiated with the Schwinn Free Style Team, the GT Free Style Team and Hans Rey."

Treasurer's Report

                   November 1, 1994 - October 31, 1995
                             (Unaudited)

   Balance on hand, November 1, 1994
    State Bank of St. Charles ................................... $5,623
    SteinRoe Cash Reserves ...................................... 36,666
    TOTAL ...................................................... $42,289

   Revenue
    Donations ................................................... $1,805
    Dues ........................................................ 30,187
    Sales (maps, T-shirts, Patches, "Guides") .................... 3,620
    Interest ..................................................... 2,010
    Miscellaneous ................................................... 11
    TOTAL ...................................................... $37,633

   Expenditures
    Capital Improvements ........................................ $2,918
    Maintenance ..................................................... 63
    Office Manager (wages) ....................................... 6,600
    Membership Mailings and Services ............................. 4,394
    Printing (including "Newsletter") ............................ 7,098
    Office Rent and Telephone ...................................... 409
    Office Supplies .............................................. 1,754
    Merchandise for Sale (maps, T-shirts, etc.) .................. 9,856
    Trash and Waste Removal ...................................... 2,132
    Villa Park Historical Society (a) ............................ 1,000
    Legal ............................................................ 0
    Miscellaneous .................................................. 202
    TOTAL ...................................................... $36,426

   Balance on hand October 31, 1995
    State Bank of St. Charles ................................... $4,901
    SteinRoe Cash Reserves ...................................... 38,595
    TOTAL ...................................................... $43,496

   (a) Illinois Prairie Path Visitor Center

MEMBERSHIP RATES: Individual $20
                      Family $20
     Organization/Supporting $30
                  Sustaining $50
                      Patron $100
                    Lifetime $500

       Illinois Prairie Path
       P.O. Box 1086
       Wheaton, Illinois 60189