Forest Preserve’s Black Road trail opens to connect Shorewood, Joliet preserves

The Will County Forest Preserve District announced the opening of the Black Road trail meant to connect preserves in Joliet and Shorewood.

Local officials celebrated the opening at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, according to a news release.

“This bridge is going to increase the safety of walkers, runners and bikers,” U.S. Rep Bill Foster, D-Naperville, said in a statement. “And it’s going to help everyone who is trying to get out on these trails to explore everything our region has to offer.”

The district installed the 300-foot bridge on the south side of Black Road on Sept. 22, according to the release. The trail connection ties together more than 35 miles of trails in Will County.

“The completion of this project furthers our ongoing efforts to make multi-modal transportation, wellness and enjoyment of our natural spaces more real,” Ralph Schultz, the forest preserve district’s executive director, said in a statement.

Schultz said in a promotional video about the project that the bridge connects a network of preserves the district runs throughout Will County. Ultimately, Schultz said the district’s goal is to connect all of its preserves and trails through a network with the help of local municipalities.

The new bridge over I-55 is the second pedestrian bridge to be installed along Black Road. The first was installed last year over the DuPage River.

Grants from the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program and the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program paid for about 80% of the project. The forest preserve paid for the rest.

“Our local, state and federal partners are important to achieving our mission to reconnect people to nature and to connect our communities,” said Joe VanDuyne, D-Wilmington, the president of the Forest Preserve Board.

The district had been planning the project since 1999, but did not receive grant funding until 2014, according to the release. Several logistical issues delayed the completion of the project, district officials said.