Citizen Portal
Sign In

Students propose nine-mile Route 66 multiuse trail linking Pontiac and Chenoa; ask county for resolution and coordination

Livingston County Board ยท January 16, 2026

Loading...

AI-Generated Content: All content on this page was generated by AI to highlight key points from the meeting. For complete details and context, we recommend watching the full video. so we can fix them.

Summary

Pontiac Township High School students presented a phased plan to convert nine miles of abandoned Route 66 into a multiuse path, citing local surveys that showed majority support and requesting county approval to pursue grants, inter-county coordination and a county resolution of support.

A student team from Pontiac Township High School asked the Livingston County Board to back a nine-mile conversion of an abandoned Route 66 segment south of Pontiac into a multiuse recreational and conservation path.

"We're here to share with you some information about the abandoned part of Route 66 and how we would like to turn it into a multiuse path," student presenter Cole Donzi said. The students proposed completing the project in manageable stages (one-mile segments), beginning with cleanup and volunteer efforts, followed by milling and paving, and pursuing federal and state grants and private donations to fund construction.

The presentation cited community survey results the students collected: 60% of respondents said there was a definite need for a multiuse path and 85% said they would use it; 93% favored natural habitat along the path. The students referenced a McLean County estimate of $14,300,000 for 37.2 miles and noted they seek county help coordinating maintenance with Pontiac and Chenoa and asked the board to draft a resolution of support to aid grant applications.

Board members and presenters discussed logistics, including bridges and timing of IDOT work: students said they were not certain of bridge-replacement timing but planned to research and suggested phased construction up to bridge limits if necessary. Students listed potential funding sources including the Federal Recreation Trails Program and Illinois Transportation Enhancement funds and identified local partners and supporters, including McLean County board members and Friends of Constitution Trails.

The board thanked the students and indicated willingness to take the proposal under advisement; several county officials who attended earlier site visits commended the students'work and encouraged coordination with county staff and regional partners.