It has been 15 years since residents of Englewood and West Englewood envisioned creating a nature trail along an abandoned elevated rail line that runs parallel to 59th Street.
Now, thanks to a $20 million federal grant, the plan to convert 1.75 miles of the unused railroad corridor into an environmentally rich haven for the community is closer to becoming a reality.
“We are excited,” said L. Anton Seals Jr., executive director of Grow Greater Englewood. “We’ve been working on this for so long ... and this will help propel it forward.”
The federal grant to support the Englewood Nature Trail was widely applauded by local leaders, who believe it will not only revitalize an unused railroad corridor but also be a beacon for Black Chicagoans.
“We are driving this to be an unapologetically Black place and make this a place to connect to our legacy for the people who have lived in this community for the past 60 years,” Seals said. “Still, this is being built as a safe place for Black families, Latino families and families at large that live in Greater Englewood.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot called the project an “equity-focused investment” that would serve as a “major catalyst for revitalization.”
“The Englewood Nature Trail is both a physical connector and pathway to community connectivity and opportunity,” Lightfoot was quoted as saying in a statement issued by her office. “The trail, which was importantly developed as part of a community-led process, will benefit Englewood residents for years to come.”
Seals said he hoped the completion of the nature trail will help bring Black families back to Chicago, and he and others are working on ways the trail can spur other economic development. Part of that, he said, would be the inclusion of a “community benefit contract,” to ensure that residents who live nearby won’t be displaced and can enjoy its benefits.
Seals said the total cost of the project is still unknown. Planners are still in the design phase of the project, but he hopes renderings of the nature trail will be ready for public viewing by November.
The project will be nature focused, he said. While bike paths will be included, the goal is to make sure they don’t dominate the space.
“We want nature to be a big driver, so it won’t be driven by bicycles only,” Seals said.
The project’s main supporting grant is being provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program. The money is intended to carry out infrastructure and transportation projects with significant local and regional impact.
“Investments in rebuilding and modernizing Illinois’ infrastructure are critical to improve residents’ quality of life,” U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill, was quoted as saying in a news release. “This RAISE grant will help provide important community benefits to Englewood and Chicago’s South Side. Sen. Duckworth and I will continue working to ensure our state has the federal resources needed to succeed.”
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., said the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has benefited Illinoisans greatly by helping to repair and enhance the state’s infrastructure.
“This infusion of federal funding will help support this important project for Chicago and the Englewood community. I look forward to continuing to support Illinois’ communities receiving much-needed federal resources,” Duckworth was quoted as saying.
Funds from the grant will be used to both design and to build the trail, which crosses 26 viaducts as it runs from Wallace Avenue west to Hoyne Avenue. When complete, the trail would have nine entrances along its route.
“This grant will provide an infusion of federal support to the Englewood community, helping create a new nature trail that will be a welcoming and enjoyable space for neighbors,” U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, D-Chicago, was quoted as saying in a news release. “I strongly supported this federal infrastructure funding and will continue to advocate for robust federal investments in Englewood and the South and West sides of Chicago.”
