Forest Preserve commissioner details MLK link, bridge, trail and facility projects

Rick Gieser, the newly appointed forest preserve commissioner for District 6, told the Warrenville City Council on July 21 that he had "rediscovered" evidence showing Martin Luther King Jr. spoke in Warrenville on June 23, 1967, and said the preserve plans to add informational signage at the Seneca property to honor that history.

Gieser described several infrastructure and preservation projects affecting Warrenville. He said the preserve was awarded a $1,060,000 grant through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program and is planning a $2,200,000 project to repair the Cenacle (Seneca) Bridge. "We're going to work on fixing that bridge because right now vehicles cannot go over it," Gieser said, adding that roughly $300,000 would come from federal transportation funds and $250,000 from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. He said engineering is scheduled to begin this year and construction is expected to begin in 2027.

Gieser said the Cenacle Trail that crosses Spring Brook has been closed beginning the day of the meeting for erosion-control work; he gave a closure window that the transcript records as through the fall of 2025 or 2026. The transcript language was ambiguous on the end date; the forest preserve’s timeline should be confirmed with staff for the exact reopening date.

He also announced a new 112,000-square-foot natural resources and grounds maintenance facility on Mack Road, estimated at $35–$40 million and funded by bond sales, with anticipated completion in February 2027. On regional trails, Gieser said the final property acquisition for the West Branch River Trail is complete, IDOT is expected to handle bid letting, and construction is planned for 2026; the trail will link West DuPage Woods with Blackwell via a bridge over Roosevelt Road. He added that Herrick Lake is completing an updated master plan and restoration work continues.

During questions from aldermen, Gieser said the preserve aims for an aesthetically sympathetic replacement for the historic wooden Cenacle Bridge and confirmed the repaired crossing is intended to support emergency-vehicle access where necessary. He invited council members and residents to share historical material related to the MLK appearance for the historical museum and preserve records.

Gieser’s announcements encompass preservation signage, a bridge repair with identified grant sources, a major maintenance facility funded through bonds, and regional trail progress. The preserve’s engineering schedule, final grant confirmations, and the exact trail-closure timeline were noted as items for follow-up.