Family
Education
Tradition
Philanthropy
Forest Preserve News
Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve Master Plan Improvements
The Lake County Forest Preserves recently received bids for the
construction of the first phase of the public access improvements at
Fort Sheridan Forest Preserve. As part of the approved 2015 Master
Plan for the preserve, these improvements include a new redesigned
entrance drive on Gilgare Lane, a new 45-car paved parking lot with
an evaporator toilet, trailhead improvements at the north parking
lot (adjacent the Fort Sheridan Cemetery) with an evaporator toilet,
accessibility improvements to the existing Hutchinson Ravine Trail,
drainage improvements to the existing grass trail loop, four timber
boardwalks and two scenic overlooks. The Forest Preserve Planning
Committee and Board will review the bid proposals in early May
2017 and if approved, construction could begin in early June 2017.
During construction, all portions of the preserve north of Fort Sheri-
dan’s historic district will be closed to public access. The length of site closure will vary based on the nature of the work.
New Middlefork Savanna Trail Connection
Construction began in March on the trail and bridge over the Metra Railway linking Middlefork Savanna Forest Preserve to
Lake Forest Academy and Townline Community Park. As part of a partnership between the City of Lake Forest, Lake County
Forest Preserves, Lake Forest Academy and Lake Forest Open Lands Association and other private partners, this project is
part of an overall effort to connect the Middlefork Savanna and Greenway to McArthur Woods Forest Preserve and
the Des Plaines River Trail. The project includes a 221-foot
steel pedestrian bridge, scenic overlook, 10-foot wide
paved trails, and crosswalk improvements at the intersec-
tion of IL Route 60 and Academy Drive. This project was
made possible in part by a grant from the Illinois Transpor-
tation Enhancement Program, administered by the Illinois
Department of Transportation. This new trail link is expect-
ed to open in late fall 2017.
Everett Road Trail Connection
Construction began in February on a new 0.25-mile trail
along Everett Road connecting local trails at the River-
woods Road roundabout to Captain Daniel Wright Woods
Forest Preserve and the Des Plaines River Trail. As an alter-
native to standard asphalt, a portion of the new trail will
be constructed using permeable surfacing made from
recycled tires, stone aggregate and a binding agent. This environmentally sensitive approach has up to 29 percent void space
allowing large volumes of water to pass through, which reduces water runoff by allowing water to soak through into the
ground. This new trail link is expected to open in late summer 2017.
Please visit lcfpd.org for additional information on the improvements, site closure status, and project updates.
PAGE 9