The Champaign County Greenways & Trails Plan is an effort coordinated by the Regional Planning Commission with local agencies to develop the county greenways and trails system. In 2011, RPC received a grant from the Illinois Department of Transportation to update the 2004 plan. The update, titled Active Choices, is designed to provide guidance and a framework to ensure Champaign County’s desire to create a bikeable, walkable, and environmentally aware and active community.
Existing Greenways & Trails Maps
In June 2022, existing greenways & trails maps for Champaign, Urbana, Savoy, Mahomet, Rantoul, and St. Joseph were updated.
The Greenways & Trails maps show off-street trails, on-street bikeways, parks, open spaces, and places of interest in Champaign, Urbana, Savoy, Mahomet, Rantoul, St. Joseph, and Champaign County. Detailed maps of the county’s seven forest preserves are also included under “Related Files” below, courtesy of the Champaign County Forest Preserve District.
What are Greenways & Trails?
A greenway is a corridor of open land managed for conservation and/or recreation. Greenways may follow natural land or water features like rivers, shorelines, or ridges, or human-landscape features like abandoned railroad corridors, trails, or canals. Greenways may form connections between communities, parks, historic and cultural sites, and nature preserves. Although they differ in location and function, they provide recreational benefits, protect natural areas, enhance natural beauty and quality of life, and/or stimulate economic development opportunities in neighborhoods and communities.
A trail or path is a type of greenway that can accommodate one or many types of non-automobile users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, roller skaters, and wheelchair users. Trails can be used for recreation and/or transportation purposes, and can connect different land uses and facilities. Trails can be found in parks, natural environments, and other designated corridors.
A bikeway is a generic term for any road, street, path, or way that in some manner is specifically designated for bicycle travel, regardless of whether such facilities are designated for the exclusive use of bicycles or are to be shared with other transportation modes.
Resources
- Heartland Pathways
- Ride Illinois
- Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
- U.S. National Park Service
- National Recreation and Park Association
