Princeton sidewalks may be extended north of Interstate 80 as city to seek grant

Princeton Mayor Ray Mabry referred to areas with no sidewalks north of the Beck’s gas station on Route 26 as the “missing links.”

The sidewalk stops in that vicinity and the area becomes less walker friendly.

City Manager Theresa Wittenauer said Monday the Princeton City Council will have a special meeting 5 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23, to discuss applying for an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program grant to extend the sidewalk from the area where it stops on Route 26 north, across Interstate 80, to the Ollie’s warehouse.

The grant will require a 20% match from the city and the stretch of sidewalk is expensive, with possible costs in the hundreds of thousands, city officials acknowledged.