FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CARBONDALE – The City of Carbondale is pleased to share news of its latest grant, worth $827,800, from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program! The funding will be used to improve and extend the Piles Fork Greenway, providing a safer and more accessible trail for pedestrians, bicyclists, and micromobility users.
The path currently runs along Piles Fork Creek, with termini at East Grand Avenue and East Walnut Street and a spur to South Wall Street. The following improvements are planned as a result of this grant:
- Replacement of the existing 8-foot wide asphalt path with a 10-foot wide concrete paved path
- Extension of the multi-use path to the north and east, along East Walnut Street, to connect with the Crab Orchard Greenway
- Signage aligning with the City’s Bike Wayfinding Plan
- Enhanced pedestrian, bicycle, and micromobility access & street crossings
"The Piles Fork Greenway has been linking pedestrians, cyclists, and individuals with limited mobility to various residential neighborhoods, commercial centers, medical resources, and schools since it was built in the early 1980s. By making these improvements, we hope to enhance accessibility and encourage more people to use alternative forms of transportation to get around town," said Senior Planner Molly Maxwell.
The City of Carbondale assumed management of this greenway in 2018 following the expiration of a 35-year lease with the Carbondale Park District. The City has already installed new pathway lighting along the entire greenway, which further enhances the improvements that this ITEP funding will provide. When complete, this new greenway will further the commitments that the City of Carbondale has recently made to improving the Superblock, Turley Park, Evergreen Park, and Tatum Heights Park.
For more information, contact the City of Carbondale at 618-457-3262.