PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria’s Rock Island Greenway is getting bigger and bigger; and with some regulation out of the way, the pedestrian and bike path will soon grow again.
The greenway has been extended again now that the city and the Peoria Park District have taken care of a railroad trestle that was in the way of the trail being connected.
Mike Rucker, Chairman of “Trail Advocates for Central Illinois,” says the expansion won’t stop there.
(Peoria Park District)
“It now stops at Park Street, just behind Glen Oak Park,” said Rucker. “Now, thre’s going to be an effort to raise the funding and do the planning to get it extended further down towards the Illinois River.”
Rucker and others now want to see the greenway connected via the Bob Michel and McClugage Bridges, and in to East Peoria as well.
The continued expansion fits within the goals of the Peoria Park District, says one Park District official.
“The Peoria Park District brings a good quality of life…to our community,” said Robert Johnson, Sr., president, Peoria Park District Board of Trustees. “It brings in young professionals, and older people who want to work, seniors. It’s just a good quality of life issue for our…park district. We’re very proud of it.”
Starting during a part of COVID-19 when people started going outside and walking or riding the Rock Island Greenway, advocates say as many as 130,000 pedestrians or bikers have used the greenway.
A news conference inaugurating the latest extension of the Rock Island Greenway was held Tuesday.
