The Illinois Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the cities of Pana and Taylorville, recently completed work on a new bridge for the 15-mile-long new Lincoln Prairie Trail; marking the first time in 10 years that people can go from one end to the other uninterrupted.
[Above photo by Illinois DOT]
Opened in 2001 along the old Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, the Lincoln Prairie Trail – connecting the cities of Pana and Taylorville along Illinois 29 – is one of the longest paved trails in Illinois south of Chicago. The new bridge spans the Flat Branch stream – a tributary of the Sangamon River’s South Fork – and subsequently closes a significant gap in the trail.
“We are proud to have played a role in helping these two cities arrive at a solution to restore a rails-to-trails project that enjoys widespread community support,” said Gia Biagi, acting Illinois DOT secretary, in a statement. “The Lincoln Prairie Trail is once again a viable transportation option for people traveling between Taylorville and Pana, while promoting quality of life in central Illinois and setting the stage for even more improvements.”
Through an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program or ITEP grant administered by Illinois DOT, the city of Pana received $1.1 million in 2023 for the removal and replacement of the previous bridge over Flat Branch – a structure that once carried trains but was forced to close in 2015 due to its poor condition.
The new bridge is a 200-foot single-span steel structure designed for nonmotorized traffic, Illinois DOT noted.
Additional improvements to the trail were provided through the Lincoln Prairie Trail Conservancy, a volunteer group dedicated to improving, preserving and expanding the Lincoln Prairie Trail to eventually connect to Springfield. The upgrades include two new trailhead facilities, enhanced signage, water stations, bike racks, repair stations and a native plant garden.
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