SR1293 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR1293 LRB102 29727 ECR 41783 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Millions of Americans have discovered the joys of walking, running, hiking, and cycling the rapidly expanding trails that crisscross our great nation; and

WHEREAS, Central Illinois is at the heart of and is a critical link for the 6,800-mile American Discovery Trail, the 3,700-mile Great American Rail-Trail, and the 535-mile Grand Illinois Trail; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Area and the Illinois Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park almost reach from Chicagoland to the Mississippi River, aside from a 15.7-mile gap between the City of LaSalle and the Village of Bureau in central Illinois, along the scenic Illinois River; and

WHEREAS, When this 15.7-mile gap becomes a trail along existing rail lines, these great and grand trails from the Atlantic to the Pacific and across Illinois will be, in essence, linked at their center here in America's Heartland; and

WHEREAS, Leading citizens and organizations in central Illinois and Washington, D.C. have come together to work to connect this "missing link" in our trails systems, including Director Colleen Callahan of the Department of Natural Resources and the National Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, There are also a number of supportive community leaders and officials all along the 200 miles of the Hennepin and I&M Canals, including Senator Win Stoller, Senator Sue Rezin, former member of Congress and U.S. Secretary of Transportation and current U.S. Rails-to-Trails Hall of Famer Ray LaHood, former Mayor of Ottawa Robert Eschbach, La Moille School District Superintendent Jay McCracken, Carus Environmental Board Chair Inga Carus, community leader Todd Volker, and many others; and

WHEREAS, Further proponents and supporters of Rails-to-Trails projects include Democrats and Republicans, governments and nonprofits, and citizens all across central Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Significant funding has been appropriated for Rails-to-Trails projects in the 2022 U.S. Surface Transportation Act; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we enthusiastically support Rails-to-Trails projects to make a reality of connecting Americans from coast to coast and from Chicago to all of Illinois through the marvelous trails of our nation and State.