The proposal to plan the express flyer to O’Hare is as ludicrous as capping the Ike, if not more so. But as far-fetched as those proposals are, they do bring up the opportunity to discuss a major change for the obsolete CSX rail line through River Forest. Convert the tracks to a bike path, connecting with the Illinois Prairie Path at the Blue Line Terminal in Forest Park.
The terminal could also create a starting point for a trail extending north through River Forest eventually connecting with the Des Plaines River Trail in Rosemont.
For the time being, a bike path extension would be a connection with Triton College. It will take years for the Cook County Forest Preserve District to improve the Des Plaines trail’s conditions beyond North Avenue. Finding a substitute for rail-line connection of freight trains supplying Ferrara Pan is another hurdle. But those problems pale in comparison to building a high-speed railway to O’Hare.
Chris Donovan
Oak Park