Originally published Aug. 21; updated Sept. 23 to reflect new patching.
In May, a member of the Cook County forest preserves’ planning department acknowledged “multiple segments in need of repair” on the Busse Woods Trail, and he said “we plan to start with patchwork and sealcoating.” Plus, “full resurfacing” would be evaluated after the initial repairs.
How’s the old trail looking now?
In the spring and summer we Busse Woods riders saw the removal of drop-gate bollards at a few road crossings, as well as new asphalt patches where sidewalks were rebuilt by permanent restroom facilities.
But a lot of the tha-thunk bumps remain all around the 7.25-mile loop and its spurs. The trail on the north side of Higgins Road is still full of cracks and even potholes that we have to be careful of. And some of the bollards remain, at least one set creating a little danger on curves.
By September, we started seeing some of those cracks being smoothed over at the southwest corner of the loop. The work came after an equipment delay, according to a county planner.
The Busse Woods trail system is popular with all kinds of bicyclists, and crews aren’t keeping up with all the wear and tear. The forest preserve sits between the borders of Schaumburg, Arlington Heights and Elk Grove Village.
On the plus side
The good news is that the new asphalt patches so far do make a difference.
Concrete sidewalks had crossed the asphalt trail by the restrooms, and with the materials settling differently, riders experienced goodly bumps unless we found just the right spot to roll over.
Asphalt now replaces the concrete on the trail to make for smooth surfaces in those spots.
A sidewalk crossing remains in at least one spot — by the bike repair station on the southwest side of the loop. That closely follows one of the new asphalt patches if you’re riding east, creating a you-had-me-then-you-lost-me moment.
By Sept. 23, before reaching this point if you’re riding the loop counterclockwise, 17 of the tha-thunk cracks were paved over. Even when they’re not perfect, they’re helping.
Meanwhile, the road crossings are now rather smooth themselves where the bollards have been removed. As long as there’s not a pothole in the road itself — which there is at Grove #4 near Higgins Road.
There was even one terribly bumpy spot, it appeared as a result of tree roots, that’s been paved over with new asphalt on a southeast-side spur to an Elk Grove neighborhood, at Cosman Road. That’s a pleasant surprise.
Now what about the rest of the trail?
Repairs coming?
Jake Hesslau, in the planning and development department of the Forest Preserves of Cook County, said they’re still working on just the bollard situation.
The county is removing most drop-gate bollards from all paved Cook County trails over five years, replacing most with signs, Hesslau said in April. They were quickly gone this year from the Poplar Creek Trail by Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg and Streamwood, and the Deer Grove Trail by Palatine, as well as the North Branch Trail in northern suburbs and the Tinley Creek Trail in southern suburbs.
Now, “a full drop gate evaluation has not yet been completed for the Busse Forest Trails,” Hesslau wrote in an email in August. He had said in May that “we will be reviewing trail segments where users have limited sightlines or no egress from the trail if a vehicle were to be present.”
As for a full evaluation of the trail, “we are currently focusing on an evaluation of the Thorn Creek Trail system, and an evaluation of the Busse Forest Trails system is anticipated in the next year,” Hesslau said in August.
Hesslau has said priorities may shift in the preserves’ 5-year capital improvement plan.
In the meantime, cracks seem to be getting paved over with asphalt slowly, after county crews got the new equipment Hesslau said they were waiting for in August.
In mid-September, I saw only two such new repairs in a day, suggesting it takes longer to fix up those cracks than I think.
Hesslau had cited those bad segments to the north of Higgins Road for patching and crack sealing, but those weren’t touched as of Sept. 23.
“After this round of repairs, we will continue to assess trail conditions and address needs as they arise,” he said in August.
So, this looks like it’ll be a while. Enjoy the new smooth parts, wear gloves with good cushioning, and maybe take down the pressure on your tires a little if you’re riding Busse Woods.
• Did you find this news valuable? Consider donating to help defray the costs of this website.
