An unused railroad corridor in Englewood is to be turned into a 1.75-mile multiuse nature trail. The plan is to elevate the city’s recreation area and provide opportunities to connect people on the city’s South Side to nature.
Transforming Chicago’s South Side
The Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) and Department of Planning and Development (DPD) have sought to have community input on the unused area in Englewood for a little while now. The railroad corridor they want to transform dates back to 1917. It was during this time the Pennsylvania Railroad created an elevated railway to serve industrial businesses located near 59th Street. The railway also connected to other area rail lines and facilities. The railroad corridor has not been in operation since the early 1960s.
In 2014, the Chicago Plan Commission’s adopted the “Green Healthy Neighborhood.” The vision transforming the trail that serves as the spine of an urban agriculture district into productive uses.
The Plan
Four years later Chicago purchased the railroad corridor land from Norfolk Southern Railroad. In Spring 2022, the city allocated $6 million to phase one design funding for the South Side trail project. That summer the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $20 million in grant funding to help support the construction and design of the South Side nature trail in Englewood.
Trust for Public Land (TPL), and other organizations and community partners, have worked hard on a 10 to 20-year vision to maximize the use of resources and vacant land in and around Chicago’s South Side community of Englewood. CDOT and DPD are trying to assist these organizations in creating a better place for people to enjoy. Additionally, it will help the South Side community’s economic growth by attracting people to come and enjoy the nature trail.
In a press release, Mayor Lori Lightfoot stated, “An expansion of trails and open spaces is sorely needed across our neighborhoods to benefit existing residents and for the city to achieve health, economic, climate, and transportation goals.”
Englewood Nature Trail Project
The Englewood Nature Trail adopted all of Trust for Public Land’s core missions. These core missions include community, climate, equity, and health. South Side community members have been involved in the design of the nature trail. Furthermore, environmentally dangerous remnants of the railway line will be properly removed by brownfield remediation.
The South Side community earmarked for the nature trail is located in a predominantly Black area in Chicago. It has abandoned lots and empty buildings. The nature trail will connect Englewood to a growing network of local food sources and farms helping to foster good health and a robust local economy.
Recent Discussions for the South Side Nature Trail
Recently, Englewood residents congregated at the Evening Star MB Church located at 2050 West 59th Street to talk about the next phase of the South Side nature trail. The Englewood Nature Trail will be a multi-use elevated pathway. It will run behind 58th and 59th streets between Wallace and Hoyne avenues.
Residents found out that Chicago received an additional $407,000 in funding from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Open Space Lands Acquisition and Development Grant to create the trail. CDOT will begin the first phase of the project with roughly $26.4 million provided by federal, state, and city funding.
The total cost of construction of the nature trail is estimated to be $72 million, according to project Director Lubka Benak. They are hoping to collect the additional funding needed by the RAISE grant’s deadline to begin the project — September 2026. At this time, the nature trail is to begin in the spring of 2026.
Benak stated if they’re unable to begin then “we will use the money that we do have to at least construct part of the trail, or maybe phase it out.” Furthermore, they are hoping to have more information by the next community meeting.
By Sheena Robertson
Sources:
Block Club Chicago: Englewood’s Long-Awaited Nature Trail Will Cost $72 Million To Build, City Says
Chicago: Englewood Nature Trail
Trust for Public Land: Englewood Nature Trail
Top and Featured Image Courtesy of Adam Moss‘ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of artistmac‘s Flickr Page -Creative Commons License
