At the Northfield Village Board’s next Committee of the Whole meeting on October 20, the Board will again consider the possible route options for completing its portion of the Skokie Valley Trail (SVT). The SVT is a regional biking and walking trail that once completed will stretch from Lake Bluff to the City of Chicago.   Northfield’s stretch of the trail is one of the few links in the SVT that has never been completed.  We hope to make progress with this unfinished project and complete our part of a recreational path that will be a source of fun and exercise for everyone.  

Last year during the SVT’s Phase I study, the Village Board heard extensive public comment and directed staff to shift the path north of Willow Road onto the Union Pacific right-of-way (ROW), ComEd ROW, or other location.  Several route options were reviewed at the August 18 Committee of the Whole meeting, and the discussion was continued to the October 20 Committee of the Whole meeting to review an additional option for a dual path along the eastern edge of the Village-owned ROW for the 800 linear feet of ComEd ROW that is occupied by the Field’s parking lot. This option would leave the “Nature Trail” undisturbed by creating a parallel route for 800 feet, and then shifting back to the ComEd ROW to Tower Road.

Any funds required as Northfield’s portion of this SVT project will be done through private fundraising and not taxpayer funds from the Village.

This route option and the project in totality will be considered by the Board at our October 20 meeting.  Click here for the detailed report and analysis of this route option.

Click here for SVT public comments for the October 20th Committee of the Whole meeting.