The city of Aurora is planning a significant addition to its wide-bikeway network — a $537,000 Montgomery Road multipath that will connect several existing and future trail systems and ultimately create a continuous east-west connection to southern DuPage.

You can get a first gander at the proposed project at an upcoming open house from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, at Aurora’s Customer Service Center, 3770 McCoy Drive.

The proposed Montgomery Road multi-use path is an off-street facility intended to promote and provide an alternative mode of transport to get to and from several important area destinations.

The proposed 10-foot-wide path is 1.25 miles in length and connects with the existing Waubonsie Creek Trail to its west and runs east along Montgomery Road all the way up to Middlebury Drive.

To the west of Waubonsie Creek Trail is the existing Kautz road path that connects to Oakhurst Forest Preserve trail. To the east of Middlebury Drive is a proposed multi-use path (Fox Valley Park District Project) that is intended to connect to the southern DuPage Trail at Ogden Avenue that continues along 75th Street.

You can read details in the CMAP project application form in this PDF.

The improvements for the proposed path are:

1. To build a 10-foot-wide asphalt path from Waubonsie Creek Trail to Ogden Avenue and from Eola Road to Middlebury Drive.

2. To add 5 feet of PCC pavement to the existing 5-foot-wide pavement sidewalk between Ogden Avenue and Eola Road to create the 10-foot-wide pavement path.

3. Earth excavation and sub-grade placement for asphalt, as determined.

4. Ped-Bike crossing enhancements at intersections and along the path where determined necessary.

The project is adopted in the City of Aurora Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan.

The proposed Montgomery path connects to Waubonsie Creek Trail at its western end and with the proposed path by Fox Valley Park District at its eastern limits, which will establish a continuous east-west connection to Southern DuPage Trail.

The path is intended for both transportation and recreational use and is anticipated to have increased usage through the years and have a positive effect on air quality and beneficial to the community.

This project would be largely funded by a federal grant from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program, with the City of Aurora contributing 20 percent of the total cost. If the grant is awarded to the project, construction is anticipated to begin in 2017.

During the open house, plans and exhibits will be available for public viewing, and city of Aurora staff will be available to answer questions.

About the City of Aurora

Located 35 miles west of Chicago, Aurora is the second largest city in Illinois with a population of 200,456.  Aurora is known as the “City of Lights” because it was one of the first in the nation to illuminate its streets with electric lights.  Situated along the Fox River and the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (Interstate 88), the city extends 46 square miles encompassing Kane, DuPage, Kendall and Will counties.  Aurora also is home to six public school districts and seven townships.  For the latest news, access to an archive of past news releases or to follow the city on Facebook or Twitter, visit the city’s website at www.aurora-il.org.

SOURCES: city of Aurora press release, CMAP project application