| Vol. 10, Issue 11 |
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Membership Issue Membership campaign showcases diverse cyclists Ride with Chicago’s first predominantly black bike club Action alert: Urge state legislators to override veto Suburban tollway ride raises funds for trail Advocacy welcomes new faces to bicycling efforts ‘Share the Road’ vehicle sticker art contest kicks off Share your stories on bike>>blog Businesses reach out to bicyclists |
Suburban tollway ride raises funds for
trail Ride with the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation and other local bike
clubs Nov. 11 for
Roll the Tollway, a once-in-a-lifetime ride on the new South
Extension of I-355 before it opens to car traffic. Proceeds from the event will help fund the planning of a new trail that will run alongside the Tollway. The ride will also support the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation's efforts in the South Suburbs. “Decades ago, cars were the only focus of individual transportation,” said Southland Coordinator Steve Buchtel. “We see some of that vision realized in the Southland, with its knots of interchanges and tangled expressways that carve up communities into holding pens and fortresses, depending on your perspective, and it's hellish. The few communities with regional trail access are blessed communities — they offer a higher quality of life and more opportunities to their residents." More than 1,000 people have already signed up for Roll the Tollway. The ride will begin between 9 and 10 a.m. on Nov. 11, at the 127th Street Interchange in Lemont. Bicyclists will head out across the Des Plaines River Valley Bridge, allowing a stunning bird's-eye view of the Des Plaines River Valley including the Des Plaines River, the I&M Canal and the Sanitary and Ship Canal. The route will then take riders south along the Will County corridor running through Lemont, Lockport, Homer Glen and New Lenox. The fully supported ride will be staffed by local bike club members from the Joliet Bicycle Club, Folks on Spokes and the Blue Island Bicycle Club. "The Tollway is setting, I think, an important precedent: For every new mile of road, enable a mile of equitable connection for walkers and bicyclists. I truly hope they are leading IDOT and the region's county highway departments by their example," Buchtel said. The 20-mile bicycle ride will offer more than three hours of car-free riding on pavement that has never experienced a traffic jam. A five-mile family ride is also available to participants. The festivals and Roll the Tollway are part of the Illinois Tollway's Grand Opening Celebration that will include a dedication of the new roadway and the renaming of I-355 as the Veterans Memorial Tollway. Roll the Tollway is $25 for adults and $5 for children. Sign up
before traffic gets too congested. Registration is online-only.
Participants can sign up at Find out more information about the Grand Opening Celebration at www.illinoistollway.com.
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