The traffic signal is there!

What years of work can bring

After the Friends of the Great Western Trails lobbied for at least four years, the eastern Great Western Trail in DuPage County now has one safer street crossing. A traffic signal, activated only by trail users, now is up and running at County Farm Road. It comes out of a longtime concern that the trail arrived very casually at the four-lane road on which autos zip by — a concern that didn't subside even when a refuge median was installed three years ago.

Of course there were opinions about the trail crossing before and after. Even the Friends weren't expecting a full traffic signal. One at a nearby street intersection had been suggested in years past. Some thought the median was plenty, while others would have loved an overpass.

In any case, yes, the project took a long time, even this relatively small one. But that happens with any bicycling infrastructure project. It's because there's usually a formal process for projects, especially when a road is involved. Enter the Illinois Department of Transportation's "phases."

One of those phases requires public input. If you want to weigh in on a project — bike lanes or off-road path? roundabout or not? — this is your time.

Speaking of bike infrastructure projects:

In Schaumburg: A path
along Bode Road was repaved, apparently part of the village's yearslong path improvement effort. The Bode work wasn't announced this year, but we'll gladly take it.

In Batavia, the park district was resurfacing a section of the Fox River Trail from Laurelwood Park north to just south of Fabyan Parkway — the latest Fox River Trail interruption.

In Algonquin: The paths in Ted Spella Community Park are getting repaved. Separately, a mile of Boyer Road will be rebuilt with a multi-use path added.

In Elk Grove Village: Railings were still being installed this week on the bridge to and from Busse Woods. When was the work supposed to be done again?

In Palatine: Last time I wrote about the repaved Palatine Trail segment. Now I've learned when the trail east of Hicks Road will get its update.

Always on the website:

• ​Suburban Chicago bike trail round-up​
• ​Bicycling infrastructure town by town​
• ​Local bicycling news bits​
• ​What local bike clubs do when it gets chilly
• ​Tips and vacation views​

LOOKING FOR THE COLORS? Speaking of things that take a long time, the leaves are changing slowly. I caught the tree above in South Barrington on Oct. 7. When will the real color explosion happen? I've started a live leaf blog that includes a list of the best trails for fall colors. Check it out.

Hey, it's OK if the leaves take their time, right? We can wait for winter. — Neil

THANK YOU, DONORS:
​Arlington Heights Bicycle Club, Bicycle Club of Lake County, Alan J. White, Mitchell C. Jones, Bill Triplett, John Heer, Terry Witt, T L Szensy, James Krause, Mark Joseph Dugo, William F. Haley, Bill Kragh, Michael Vander Weele, Hilliard B. Grossman, Douglas H. Hoffman, Melynda Findlay Shamie, Eric Slagter, Jeffery Norman, Kathleen Hays, Andrew L. Campbell, Mark Rathe, Robert M. Yedinak, John S. Perry, David Waycie, David Michels, Cynthia DeVoss, Cheryl Zalenski, Richard H. Jordan, Richard Wadleigh, Colleen Stevenson, Randy Barich, Michael D. Staples, Kevin V. Barba, Todd Stocke, Colleen Sanderson, Pete Bolsoni, John VanSanten, Tony Messina, Frank A. Zelko, Gary Welk, and Patti L.

I create the Suburban Chicago Bicycling website and newsletter with the help of readers like you.
​Buy me a cup of coffee, as they say?

At top: Just stop! At last County Farm Road gets proper respect on the Great Western Trail.

For even more, read old newsletters. And please forward this to anyone interested.