Park district gets grant to improve trails from Lowell Park to Polo: Community will have 
to kick in 20 percent 
of the project’s cost

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DIXON – Add the park district to the list of local agencies slated to receive federal stimulus funds – more than a half-million dollars will go to improvements in a stretch of trails that run from Lowell Park to Polo.

Nearly $540,000 from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will replace a set of stone stairs with a ramp approved by the Americans with Disabilities Act, park district Executive Director Deb Carey said in an e-mail.

“This project provides handicapped access, which is a priority with the park district,” Carey wrote.

A second set of stairs will be repaired, along with retaining walls and sidewalks, and period lights and railings to match those on the Galena Avenue bridge will be installed along the Lowell Trail.

The grant requires matching funds from the park district, which means taxpayers will be responsible for 20 percent of the total cost of the project, whatever that might be. The park district will not know the final cost until bids are received in March, Carey said.

The project was one of 27 across the state that will receive grants, according to a news release from Gov. Pat Quinn.

The grants, part of the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program, will shuttle $20 million toward shovel-ready projects that promote alternative transportation, such as biking and hiking.

Work on the projects must begin within 3 years, according to the news release.

The Lowell Trail entrance is off Boyd Street along the Rock River. The trail extends west, travels under the Galena and Peoria avenue bridges, and passes the Lincoln Statue site.

Future plans include linking the trail with Sterling, Carey said.