PUBLIC NOTICE Public Information Meeting Scheduled by the Village of Elwood Regarding the Elwood Area Bike Connector Project The Village of Elwood will hold a Public Information Meeting regarding the proposed Elwood Area Bike Connector Project from the existing bike path in Elwood, IL to the Millrace Foot Bridge in Wilmington, IL (Will County). The meeting will take place on June 3, 2026, from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM in the Village Hall, located at 401 E. Mississippi Avenue, Elwood, IL 60421. All interested parties are invited to attend. This is a federally funded project, and the Public Information Meeting is being held in compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements and the Illinois Department of Transportation's public involvement policy. The proposed project will require construction in a floodplain. Pursuant to EO 11988, as amended by EO 13690, public review and comment on this proposal and its alternatives are hereby requested. The Village of Elwood is seeking public comments on the effects that proposed improvements will have on the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie. The Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie, which is under the jurisdiction of the US Forest Preserve, is a significant, publicly owned nature preserve. As such, it is subject to protection under Section 4(f) of the U.S. Department of Transportation Act of 1966. The Village of Elwood intends to seek a Section 4(f) 'de minimis' impact finding from the Federal Highway Administration based on a determination that the Elwood Area Bike Connector Project will not adversely affect the features, attributes, or activities that qualify the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie for protection under Section 4(f). The Village of Elwood is seeking public input regarding the impact of proposed Elwood Area Bike Connector Project. This project received Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) funding to complete the IDOT Phase I Preliminary Engineering Process. The meeting will be conducted on an informal basis. Representatives from the Village of Elwood will be available from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM to answer individual questions and record comments from attendees. Verbatim comments will not be recorded. Topics to be discussed include the purpose and need for the project, logical termini, project funding, alternatives under consideration, and the tentative project schedule. Project exhibits will be available for viewing during the meeting. The same materials are also available for review upon request from the contact person listed below. This meeting will occur prior to the Village Board of Trustee Meeting scheduled to start at 7:00 PM on June 3, 2026. Individuals with disabilities who plan to attend the meeting should contact the person listed in this notice by June 1, 2026, to make any necessary arrangements. Contact can be made via telephone, e-mail, or in writing. For more information, please contact Fred Hayes, Village Administrator, at 401 E. Mississippi Ave, Elwood, IL 60421, via e-mail at fred.hayes@villageofelwood.com, or by phone at (815) 423-5011. (Published in Herald-News May 14, 28, 2026) 2324275
