Plans to connect Dyer to the Region's bike trail network continue moving forward. The Schererville Town Council signed onto an interlocal agreement Wednesday, to build a spur off the existing Pennsy Greenway to Central Park in Dyer.
Schererville Town Manager Jim Gorman said the total estimated cost is $2.8 million. The Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission has already allocated $1.7 million, leaving the two towns to split the rest. "So our share would be about $571,000 when this does go in, which is a few years away, but it's in the works," Gorman explained.
The trail would run along an inactive railroad corridor and connect to the current Pennsy Greenway where 213th Street curves into Eagle Ridge Drive. Gorman also hopes to include a trail connection to the Briar Cove subdivision.
Schererville resident Jeff Minard welcomed the trail extension. "Trail connectivity is one of those things that's dear to my heart. I'm glad to see that," Minard told council members. "I'm glad to see Briar Cove was included in that because they are one of those communities — we have many of them — that have no safe access for bikes or walking to their trails."
The agreement still has to be approved by the Dyer Town Council. It's tabled it twice, while it waited for more information from Schererville.
The trail could be part of a larger extension of the Old Plank Road Trail, which currently runs from Joliet to Chicago Heights. But some Dyer officials have been hesitant to continue the trail west to connect to the Illinois segment.
