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Re: Hennepin Canal Trail - press release
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cau-@sbcglobal.net
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Sep 12, 2008 17:12 PDT
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Thanks for all your hard work Ed. Sure hope they reconsider this action.
Cindy U.
--- On Fri, 9/12/08, Ed Barsotti <e-@bikelib.org> wrote:
From: Ed Barsotti <e-@bikelib.org>
Subject: Hennepin Canal Trail - press release
To: libn-@denali.physics.indiana.edu
Cc: ilcyc-@topica.com
Date: Friday, September 12, 2008, 4:34 PM
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.
# # #
(For more information on bicycling issues, visit the league’s website at www.bikelib.org)
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