Progress made on I&M Canal bridge construction in Channahon

Channahon — A Will County Forest Preserve project connecting the Lake Chaminwood Preserve to the I&M Canal State Trail in Channahon has passed a significant milestone with the installation of a new bridge over the canal.

According to a forest preserve district news release, a prefabricated, weathered steel truss bridge was secured to the concrete abutments on either side of the canal on April 19. Concrete work will be completed over the next few weeks to fully secure the 90-foot bridge in place.

When finished, the bridge will measure 12 feet across and connect the short Lake Chaminwood loop trailing with the 61.5-mile canal trail, which connects Rockdale to LaSalle.

Through the course of construction, part of the Lake Chaminwood trail and three miles of canal trail from I-55 frontage road to West Knapp Street have been closed. These portions of the trail will remain closed until the new bridge is ready for public use, which the forest preserve district estimates will be sometime in mid- to late June, depending on weather conditions.

“Once the project is completed, Lake Chaminwood will serve as the perfect trailhead for cyclists who want to park at the preserve and within a half mile, access the canal trail,” Project Manager John Stecyk said. “And canal trail users can discover Lake Chaminwood and find out why the site is popular with anglers, kayakers and hikers.”

In addition to the new connection to the Canal Trail, Lake Chaminwood will eventually serve as the southern terminus of the DuPage River Trail. In summer 2023, the forest preserve district completed several other improvements at the site including a larger parking lot, a new entrance and welcome plaza, and an accessible kayak launch on the lake.

The improvements at Lake Chaminwood are being made possible with support from The Nature Foundation of Will County. Updates on the construction and projected reopening are available at ReconnectWithNature.org.