DeKalb County towns will be linked by a series of greenways and multi-use trails if a local organization can gather enough support and funding.

The DeKalb County Greenways & Trails Coalition is working to first identify existing paths and roads to designate as a route for bicyclists and other recreational users.

The coalition has begun to assemble county leaders and recreation enthusiasts to guide the development of a county-wide plan over the next few months.

Schreiber/Anderson Associates Inc. of Madison, Wis., has been hired to create the blueprint of a multi-use trail system that would link most DeKalb County communities.

Existing trails and roadways will be used whenever possible to create the county-wide trail system, Coalition President Marv Fogel said.

The system is planned to link to the developing Grand Illinois Trail via the Great Western Trail that currently connects DeKalb and Sycamore to St. Charles.

The Grand Illinois Trail will run a loop through northern Illinois, connecting Chicago, Galena, the Quad Cities and communities near Interstate 80.

DeKalb will be the host of the 500-mile Grand Illinois Trail and Parks Ride through northern Illinois from June 13 to 19.

Ann Freiwald of Schreiber/Anderson said the ride should bring local attention to the project and build support for the plan.

The coalition has enjoyed widespread initial support, said Marla Grush, recreation planner with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“The coalition has been moving forward quickly, and with the planning that’s happening, it’s only going to get better,” Grush said.

Grush will assist the coalition in securing grants for the project when the planning is completed.

Grush said the planning the group is doing will put the county in a position to receive state and possibly federal funding for the project.

The DeKalb County plan should be presented by the end of the summer, Freiwald said.

After the plan is adopted, the pace of trail development will depend largely on how much funding is available, Grush said.

For information on assisting the DeKalb County Greenways & Trails Coalition, call 758-4195 or e-mail [email protected].