City of Carbondale awarded $200K grant to build trail around lake
CARBONDALE, Ill. (KBSI) – The city of Carbondale was awarded at $200,000 Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Grant to build a natural-surface, multi-user trail around Cedar Lake.
The federal funding is administered through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR).
The SIU Center of Archaeological Investigations is conducting an archaeological survey before trail construction can begin. The project is set to be bid this summer. The projected timeline for trail building to being is as early as fall of 2024.
This grant is projected to fund the construction of 7 miles of trail. The proposed trail will reach from the city’s boat launch on Cedar Creek Road to Cove Hollow and wrap around the north end of the lake. It will reach down to Cove Hollow to meet the trailheads at the south end where the US Forest Service’s property begins.
One trail segment will be built to be accessible for those with disabilities. Ongoing development of the Cedar Creek boat dock area includes ADA-accessible restrooms and an ADA-accessible boat launch that are being installed.
The trail in its entirety will be open to use for hikers, backpackers and mountain bikers.
The project is the first step on the city of Carbondale’s end to the creation of a loop trail circumnavigating the entirety of Cedar Lake. On the southern end of the lake, the US Forest Service built and maintains the 5.5 mile long Cove Hollow Trail, 2.9 mile long Cedar Lake Trail, and about 5 miles of the River to River Trail.
Since Cedar Lake serves as the water source for Carbondale and other communities, sustainably built trails will allow for minimal to no impact to the resource during construction, use, and maintenance of the trail system.
Application for this grant came from public input gathered during the compilation of a recreation master plan the city has been working on for the city-owned property around Cedar Lake.
The trail expansions will bring an even fuller opportunity for Carbondale residents to have access to outdoor recreation within close proximity to town.
