The city has applied for three federal grants totaling nearly $2.2 million for pedestrian and bicycle trail improvements downtown and on the east side.
The grants, if awarded, would come through the Illinois Department of Transportation under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, a federal program to encourage people to become less dependent on their automobiles.
The largest of the three grants, $1.16 million, would add landscaping, ornamental lighting, brick sidewalks and other features along Main Street, or Illinois Highway 64, when IDOT rebuilds the four-lane thoroughfare in 1996.
“We need to do more than just rebuild the highway,” said Mark Koenen, St. Charles public works director. “We want it to look special, more pedestrian-friendly, so people will be encouraged to come downtown.”
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The second-largest grant, for $921,680, is proposed for the construction of a riverwalk pedestrian path, boat docks and a park area on the west bank of the Fox River between State Street and the Chicago and North Western railroad bridge.
Koenen said the Friends of Downtown organization originally proposed the project as part of its North Gateway Beautification program. The city took over sponsorship to obtain the grant, he said.
The third grant, for $108,800, would pay for extending a bicycle trail along the west side of Kirk Road north of Illinois 64 to Royal Fox Drive.
Under the federal act’s guidelines, the grants would cover 80 percent of the cost of the projects while the city would be required to match the other 20 percent. If all three are awarded, St. Charles will have to contribute about $548,000.
Koenen said acceptance or rejection of the city’s grant applications is not expected until at least October.