Elmhurst Officials Hear Path Plan Protests

ELMHURST, IL – More than 70 people attended a meeting earlier this month on Elmhurst's Fay Avenue about objections to the city's plan for an 8-foot-wide pedestrian and bike path in front of houses, organizers said.

The crowd included top city officials, including the mayor and six aldermen.

"I did not know that many city officials would attend, other than the mayor and a couple of aldermen who had committed to go. They just showed up," organizer Tony DeBlasio said in an email.

The attending aldermen were Jacob Hill, Karen Sienko, Dan Virgil, James Nudera, Michael Bram and Rex Irby. Hill and Sienko represent Ward 2, which includes the neighborhood in question.

Also at the meeting were Mayor Scott Levin, City Manager Jim Grabowski and Assistant City Manager Kent Johnson, organizers said.

Recently, the City Council voted to hire an engineer to design the path and an accompanying pedestrian and bike bridge over Route 83. Only Alderman Bram dissented, saying the project was a "nice to have," not a "need to have."

The path would go on the south side of the street, where new houses are set to be built.

Residents say a bike path in front of their homes would pose risks, particularly with electric bicycle riders whipping by.