The Illinois Department of Transportation and the cities of Pana and Taylorville announced on Tuesday the completion of a new Lincoln Prairie Trail bridge over Flat Branch, a tributary of the Sangamon River’s South Fork; the new bridge closes a significant gap in the trail and marks the first time in 10 years that people can go from one end to the other uninterrupted.
Acting Illinois Transportation Secretary Gia Biagi stated:
“We are proud to have played a role in helping these two cities arrive at a solution to restore a rails-to-trails project that enjoys widespread community support. The Lincoln Prairie Trail is once again a viable transportation option for people traveling between Taylorville and Pana, while promoting quality of life in central Illinois and setting the stage for even more improvements.”
At 15 miles, connecting Pana and Taylorville along Illinois 29, the Lincoln Prairie Trail is one of the longest paved trails in Illinois south of Chicago, opening in 2001 along the old Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.
Through an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program grant administered by IDOT, Pana was awarded $1.1 million in 2023 for the removal and replacement of the previous bridge over Flat Branch, an original structure that once carried trains but was forced to close in 2015 due to its poor condition. The new bridge is a 200-foot single-span steel structure designed for nonmotorized traffic, with 72-foot timber decking and railing on each end.
Pana Mayor Nathan Pastor and Taylorville Mayor Bruce Barry also each respectively made statements on the innovation:
“I would personally like to thank IDOT for their commitment to the residents of Pana and Taylorville for providing the needed funding for this project. Without IDOT funding 90% of this project, we could not have moved forward with the construction of a new bridge.”
“It is great to see people using the trail as it was meant to be. I would also like to thank IDOT, Pana and the many people that have volunteered their time and financial resources to making improvements on the trail.”
Additional IDOT noted, improvements to the trail were provided through the Lincoln Prairie Trail Conservancy, a volunteer group dedicated to improving, preserving and expanding the Lincoln Prairie Trail to eventually connect to Springfield. The upgrades include two new trailhead facilities, enhanced signage, water stations, bike racks, repair stations and a native plant garden.
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