Bronzeville Trail
Task Force
The Bronzeville Trail Landscape Initiative documents and creates a community-based landscape narrative, guidelines, and tools to inform the future of the Bronzeville Trail along the decommissioned Kenwood Rail Line.
This Living Archive is a documentation of the tireless efforts and ongoing process turning this Initiative into reality.
The Bronzeville Trail Landscape Initiative is supported by the Mellon Foundation.
Our goal is to develop the abandoned Kenwood “L” line embankment, located in the Bronzeville community, to a walking, running, and biking trail (“the Trail”) linear park. The Trail would emulate the Bloomingdale Trail on Chicago’s north side. Luckily, the embankment of the Kenwood Line remains intact and is owned by the Cook County Land Bank.
The Trail starts at 40th & Dearborn St. on the west end and proceed about 2 miles to the east towards 41st and Lake Park Ave. The east access point has the potential of connecting to the 41st Street Pedestrian Bridge, and thereby providing access to the lakefront biking/walking path. The Bronzeville Trail would encourage a healthy lifestyle for its residents and provide a scenic and safe access to the lakefront path, without traffic interference. We estimate that the Trail will cost approximately $100 million dollars.
