Winner of the 2026 ACEC Illinois Special Achievement Award | Transportation
Providing West Belleville with access to the expanding MetroBikeLink trail system has long been a priority for St. Clair County and the St. Clair County Transit District. The corridor between West Main Street and the existing trail presents several challenges, including difficult terrain, Shoenenberger Creek, IL 161, and MetroLink tracks. This joint project addresses those barriers by creating a 1.1-mile connection, consisting of a 0.5-mile off-road, 10′ wide paved trail and a 0.6-mile on-road shared-use route.

The off-road segment winds through Tecklenburg Woods, which is owned by the County, and crosses the five-lane highway via a four-span pedestrian bridge supported by single-column drilled shaft piers. The on-road portion is a collaborative effort between the City of Belleville, Stookey Township, and St. Clair Township, who are jointly funding roadway resurfacing, pavement markings, and signage to accommodate shared-use.

Scope of Work

  • Designed a 10′ wide shared-use path in wooded, rough terrain

  • Trail includes a 4-span, steel beam pedestrian bridge that provides access to West Belleville

  • Prepared a successful MEPRD grant application

Client

St. Clair County, IL

Location

Belleville, IL

Benefits

  • Trail improvements include HMA surfacing to correct slope
  • Trail is marked as a “share the road” facility from Main Street in Belleville
  • Trail terminates with a connection to the MetroBikeLink, a 15-mile shared-use path
  • Large pedestrian bridge provides trail access to West Belleville

Categories

Transportation
Multi-modal trails