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Hennepin Canal Trail - press release
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Ed Barsotti
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Sep 12, 2008 14:34 PDT
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The following press release was distributed earlier this week.
Ed Barsotti
Executive Director
League of Illinois Bicyclists
2550 Cheshire Dr.
Aurora, IL 60504
630-978-0583
e-@bikelib.org
www.bikelib.org
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ed
Barsotti
September 8, 2008
630-978-0583
e-@bikelib.org
LIB Makes Plea for Blagojevich
To Keep Hennepin Canal Trail Open
To Avoid Loss of Federal Dollars
AURORA, IL. -- Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois
Bicyclists, charged today that the Blagojevich administration's decision to
close the Hennepin Canal Trail as a budget-cutting measure flies in the face
of federal law and could end up costing the state millions of dollars.
"The administration's decision has not been well thought out
because it could end up jeopardizing the millions of federal dollars
Illinois has received and will receive for transportation projects,"
Barsotti said.
The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has named the nearly 105-mile
Hennepin Canal Parkway and Trail as one of 11 state parks that will be
closed to help fill a $14 million gap in the agency's budget.
The trail, which runs through Rock Island, Bureau, Henry, Whiteside and Lee
counties, is an integral part of the Grand Illinois Trail covering nearly
600 miles in Illinois.
Barsotti has confirmed with the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA) that the closure jeopardizes the $15.4 million in federal funds spent
by the state to complete the trail and parkway almost five years ago and
could even endanger the state's future federal transportation dollars.
"These potential penalties far outweigh any savings the state might
realize by closing or not maintaining the trail," Barsotti said. "The
Departments of Natural Resources and Transportation should reconsider the
Hennepin decision in light of possible federal action and keep the trail
open and maintained for all users, not just bicyclists."
Barsotti said an FHWA official in Washington has stated that federal
law (23 USC 116) requires states to maintain projects that were completed
with federal funding or face the retroactive loss of the federal grants for
those projects. Further, the state's actions involving Hennepin could
jeopardize all future federal transportation aid for Illinois.
Work has begun in the Illinois General Assembly to protect the funding for
the Hennepin Canal Trail. Barsotti said, "We ask all users and supporters
of the trail to contact their legislators to support the action to avoid a
potential federal penalty that would be far more costly than any projected
budget savings."
He said the Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal and trail face the same
budgetary fate as the Hennepin. Federal money slated for repairs of the
flood-damaged I&M Canal could also be lost due to the state's failure to
provide front money for reimbursable federal dollars.
"Both the Hennepin and I&M canals are tourist attractions which help the
local economies along their paths," he said. "If these two attractions are
not protected, then the lost tourist revenue has to be added to the
potential loss of federal funds, making the administration's decision even
more costly and more unwise."
The league is a statewide, not-for-profit advocacy group that
promotes bicycle safety, education and access.
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(For more information on bicycling issues, visit the league's website at
www.bikelib.org)
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