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1
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, Millions of Americans have discovered the joys of 
3walking, running, hiking, and cycling the rapidly expanding 
4trails that crisscross our great nation; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Central Illinois is at the heart of and is a 
6critical link for the 6,800-mile American Discovery Trail, the 
73,700-mile Great American Rail-Trail, and the 535-mile Grand 
8Illinois Trail; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, The Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage 
10Area and the Illinois Hennepin Canal Parkway State Park almost 
11reach from Chicagoland to the Mississippi River, aside from a 
1215.7-mile gap between the City of LaSalle and the Village of 
13Bureau in central Illinois, along the scenic Illinois River; 
14and
  
 
15    WHEREAS, When this 15.7-mile gap becomes a trail along 
16existing rail lines, these great and grand trails from the 
17Atlantic to the Pacific and across Illinois will be, in 
18essence, linked at their center here in America's Heartland; 
19and
  
 
20    WHEREAS, Leading citizens and organizations in central 
21Illinois and Washington, D.C. have come together to work to 
 
 
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1connect this "missing link" in our trails systems, including 
2the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the National 
3Rails-to-Trails Conservancy in Washington, D.C.; and
  
 
4    WHEREAS, There are also a  number of supportive community 
5leaders and officials all along the 200 miles of the Hennepin 
6and I&M Canals, including Senator Win Stoller, Senator Sue 
7Rezin, former member of Congress and U.S. Secretary of 
8Transportation and current U.S. Rails-to-Trails Hall of Famer 
9Ray LaHood, former Mayor of Ottawa Robert Eschbach, La Moille 
10School District Superintendent Jay McCracken,  Inga Carus, 
11Chairman, Carus LLC, community leader Todd Volker, and many 
12others; and
   
 
13    WHEREAS, Further proponents and supporters of 
14Rails-to-Trails projects include Democrats and Republicans, 
15governments and nonprofits, and citizens all across central 
16Illinois; and
  
 
17    WHEREAS, Significant funding has been appropriated for 
18Rails-to-Trails projects in the 2022 U.S. Surface 
19Transportation Act; therefore, be it
  
 
20    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL 
21ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF

22REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we enthusiastically 
 
 
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1support Rails-to-Trails projects to make a reality of 
2connecting Americans from coast to coast and from Chicago to 
3all of Illinois through the marvelous trails of our nation and 
4State.