FPDCC is extending the NBT south of Devon, about 3 miles to Foster Avenue.  Hope they include PoP's in the budget  

http://fpdcc.com/preserves-and-trails/plans-and-projects/north-branch-trail-southern-extension/

There is already existing trail there. Singletrack developed by neighbors (and mountain bikers) extends from a small opening in Gompers Park on Foster to the northwest. It cuts through the woods, next to the river. I always see beautiful cranes, tons of deer, and hear the splooshing of turtles heading back into the water. It is completely unmarked and great for people who like to do a bit of exploring. It is a remarkable area. In this area it is hard to believe that I'm still in the city.

 

The extension will be destroying parts of this. I can't think of anywhere else in Chicago where one could find singletrack. Maybe there is something on the SW Side that I don't know about? All I know is once this is gone, it's gone.

Thanks WG.  I've never seen it, but maybe I better, soon.  Does it go to Devon? Is it runnable?

It ends to the west of the Edgebrook golf course. I run up Indian Rd a few blocks, cross Devon, and behind the pool area there is a bit more to explore. It is probably easier just to go up to Central Ave and run north to connect to the NBT.  If you want to know where the trail is, it is just feet away from the river to the west. The LaBagh Woods area also has singletrack to the east. In the LaBagh Woods you cross an unused railroad. This will eventually be turned into a bike path. People walk their dogs up there. The second set of tracks that are crossed are Metra, and are in use. Be careful. There is a pathway under the Edens, so that is not a worry. It is runnable when it is not wet. It is a mess for a while after it rains. There is a small area that mountain bikers built up, and there are small hills. It is fun.

Harry, because of where they will have to put the path in the more narrow areas, there is no room for both. Besides, I can't picture Cook County or Chicago leaving singletrack alone once development starts around there. What about the water fountains?  What about the bathrooms?  Single track?  What if someone trips on a root?  Better make that a six foot wide crushed limestone path.

I like biking. I would like to see more bike paths and bike friendly streets. I like hopping on the NBT and it is awkward getting there. But I don't want to see every inch of the city under a layer of asphalt and concrete. The park district said they would be removing 425 trees for this. A neighborhood group got numbers from the FOIA, and it looks like it may go up to 6000.

It ends to the west of the Edgebrook golf course. I run up Indian Rd a few blocks, cross Devon, and behind the pool area there is a bit more to explore. It is probably easier just to go up to Central Ave and run north to connect to the NBT.  If you want to know where the trail is, it is just feet away from the river to the west. The LaBagh Woods area also has singletrack to the east. In the LaBagh Woods you cross an unused railroad. This will eventually be turned into a bike path. People walk their dogs up there. The second set of tracks that are crossed are Metra, and are in use. Be careful. There is a pathway under the Edens, so that is not a worry. It is runnable when it is not wet. It is a mess for a while after it rains. There is a small area that mountain bikers built up, and there are small hills. It is fun.

 

Harry, because of where they will have to put the path in the more narrow areas, there is no room for both. Besides, I can't picture Cook County or Chicago leaving singletrack alone once development starts around there. What about the water fountains?  What about the bathrooms?  Single track?  What if someone trips on a root?  Better make that a six foot wide crushed limestone path.

 

I like biking. I would like to see more bike paths and bike friendly streets. I like hopping on the NBT and it is awkward getting there. But I don't want to see every inch of the city under a layer of asphalt and concrete. The park district said they would be removing 425 trees for this. A neighborhood group got numbers from the FOIA, and it looks like it may go up to 6000.

This is going to be the Weber Spur Trail that I mentioned- I have run it a few times, but it sucks now as it's just a bunch of rocks; unfortunately, it's the best way for me to get to the Sauganash Trail (and eventually this extension) from the south, so I deal until it's gets converted. I was at a few design meetings this summer, where a group of urban bird watchers (a thing?)(yes, they're a thing) had similar concerns about bathrooms and water fountains, but the Forest Preserve rep pointed out that they normally don't maintain those along their trails, only at the picnic areas/groves/etc, so I don't see that being a problem with the NBT extension, especially considering they have bathrooms fountains at the LaBagh parking lot, Gompers Park and near the current trailhead at Caldwell woods.

I'd be interested to see the FOIA docs the neighborhood group got- the only real opposition to the NBT extension (unless there are more urban bird watchers that didn't get reported on) was from the Old Edgebrook NA, which was more concerned that they would have to potentially slow down for cyclists when turning into their 55 home subdivision than anything else, except maybe the traffic signal being installed that they may have to stop for on occasion. Everything I've seen, read and heard about the trees being removed indicates that almost half of the 425 are dead or non-native and would be removed regardless of the extension. I'm wondering if the 6,000 was estimated from one of the other configurations that was considered.

I like the Reader article, and I am against overdevelopment as it pertains to throwing condos, strip malls and four lane roads in any undeveloped areas of the city. I think an extension of the NBT, and a paved trail system (most of the funds to build these are federal CMAQ funds that require ADA-compliance) that connects to and through the city are actually a good way to prevent overdevelopment, as it's unlikely that LaBagh woods will be torn down (as the gentleman in the Reader article was concerned about) if a bunch of money is spent to make it more accessible as a transportation option for cyclists and recreation option for novices. Not that it would guarantee it, of course, but it seems like more of a commitment to keep them there to me than anything else.