The Village of Channahon today announced that it has been awarded $200,000 through the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) for a parallel walking bridge that will ultimately aid in connecting the Rock Run Rookery to Knapp Street in Channahon.
The grant comes courtesy of Senator Rachel Ventura, who secured the capital funding to help advance this important project as part of the recently-passed 2024 state budget.
"We are so proud and grateful to have the support of Senator Ventura and the Illinois DCEO in furthering our goal of providing alternate means of mobility for our residents," said Village President Missey Moorman-Schumacher. "Increasing the walkability of our community through walking and biking paths like this doesn't only affect Channahon residents; it also enhances safety and connectivity measures for residents of the surrounding communities and the region as a whole."
The bridge and walking path will advance the goals established in the Village's 2008 Comprehensive Master Trail Plan and the 2019 Re-Imagine Channahon Comprehensive Plan. It joins the Bridge Street Multi-Use Path, which is soon to enter its third and final project phase, in linking the non-motorized trail system connecting the eastern and western segments of Channahon that are currently divided by the river system. To date, the Village has received more than $3.6 million in funding for walking and biking paths in the community since receiving its initial Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program (ITEP) grant in 2016.