Local trail organization outlines path forward for Kickapoo Rail Trail extension
Representatives of Trail of the Grand Prairie met with area residents Monday at Mad Goat South in Danville to discuss plans to extend the Kickapoo Rail Trail from its current terminus near the renovated railroad trestle over the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River eastward toward Danville’s Ellsworth Park.
The presentation drew a full meeting room, with local officials including Aldermen Rick Strebing and Sherry Pickering in attendance. Board member Patrick Halloran opened the session and other Trail of the Grand Prairie members laid out what remains to be done before the trail can reach Danville.
The existing trail segment begins in Urbana and stretches to the quarter-mile renovated trestle over the Middle Fork of the Vermilion River. East of the trestle, the pathway currently ends at the access road to the Vermilion County Fairgrounds from Route 150, just west of the I-74 interchange.
Key to any extension, presenters said, is the status of the former railroad corridor. Board member Doug Staske told attendees that CSX still owns most of the rail line that continues east of the trestle but has indicated willingness to work toward an alternative use.
“The CSX is cooperative. And they’re desirous of abandoning the rail line, and then selling that section. So, we’ve got a willing partner.”
Staske explained that although no trains have run on that portion of the CSX line for some time, CSX has not formally abandoned it, and in places old rails remain visible along the corridor. The board described a likely stepwise process: CSX must follow federal abandonment procedures before a third party can acquire the corridor for conversion to a trail.
Funding and next steps
The City of Danville intends to pursue an Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program Grant to finance the project’s next phases, according to the meeting presentation. Trail members emphasized that securing funds will be the primary challenge once property questions are resolved.
- Confirm CSX’s formal initiation of the abandonment process for the relevant corridor sections.
- Identify responsible organizations to facilitate acquisition and conversion after abandonment.
- Pursue state transportation enhancement grant funding as a likely funding source.
- Engage local stakeholders in Danville and Vermilion County about access and amenities near Ellsworth Park.
Organizers provided on-site visuals including photos of the renovated trestle and the current end of the trail to help attendees understand the geography and logistical constraints. They stressed that while CSX has indicated cooperative interest in selling the corridor following abandonment, the timeline remains uncertain and will depend on federal and corporate procedures.
| Element | Current status |
|---|---|
| Trail terminus | Renovated trestle over Middle Fork of the Vermilion River |
| Corridor ownership east of trestle | Owned by CSX (not formally abandoned) |
| Potential funding | Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program Grant (pursuit planned) |
| Next community target | Ellsworth Park, Danville |
For Grand Prairie residents who follow regional trail initiatives under the Trail of the Grand Prairie umbrella, the Danville meeting underscores both the possibility and complexity of extending rail-trails across jurisdictional lines. Conversion of abandoned or soon-to-be-abandoned rail corridors into public trails has become a common model for expanding recreational and transportation links, but it typically requires coordination among rail owners, local governments and state funding programs.
Speakers at the Mad Goat South meeting encouraged continued public engagement as the process advances, noting that securing grant funding and completing federal abandonment procedures will define the project timeline. Until those steps are completed, the corridor east of the trestle remains in railroad ownership, and physical evidence of the old rails continues to mark the right-of-way in places.
Trail of the Grand Prairie board members said they will continue to work with CSX and local officials in Danville to move the proposal forward and keep the community informed on milestones related to abandonment, acquisition and grant applications.
