A list of bike-pedestrian projects that were rejected for Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program funding this year had me looking at video of the site of one proposal: Rawson Bridge Road between Port Barrington and Cary.
The Village of Cary put in a request to the state to create 2.9 miles of off-street path and bike lanes on Rawson Bridge Road “in southeast McHenry County & southwest Lake County, in Cary, Port Barrington, and unincorporated Algonquin and Nunda Townships,” according to the state list. That can only mean the stretch that takes you along and over the Fox River. I wonder if the plan would take you out to Oakwood Hills to the west, or onto South Rawson Bridge Road toward Crystal Lake and Three Oaks roads.
It’s a lovely stretch especially in the easy breezy summer. A lot of trees line the route, and you pass the locally famous Broken Oar Marina-Bar & Grill.
For a good half mile you ride right at river level, providing soothing summertime views. (After heavy rains, there’s a chance of flooding.) Going southwest, soon you jut inland a little, then head up a bridge over the Fox. Continuing west, you ride in a more tree-lined road.
The only trouble is you do have only a small shoulder to ride on. Hence, I presume, the reason for the path-bike lane request. Traffic isn’t terrible, but it is tight; you have to ride carefully around the curve by Broken Oar, and if Broken Oar has an event going on as it often does in the summer especially on weekends, it’ll be busy.
Rawson Bridge Road does take some riding to get to unless you start right in Cary, Port Barrington or Oakwood Hills. It could be part of a northbound ride coming from Lake Barrington, taking Kelsey Road to River Road, then Roberts Road west to Rawson Bridge. From Cary, you can take Silver Lake Trail — a little tight with traffic itself — to what’s called Woodland Road in Oakwood Hills, then becomes Rawson Bridge Road. Or take Three Oaks Road toward the river until South Rawson Bridge Road, which you’d take north to the main Rawson Bridge Road; then turn right toward the river.
Farther out from Crystal Lake, Crystal Lake Avenue can take you to Silver Lake Trail, where you’d turn left to ride to Woodland Road and Rawson Bridge.
Right now, it’s a rice worth doing for a serious road cyclist. Casual bicyclists may or may not be comfortable in the tight space.
Here’s video of the best part of the stretch from the summer of 2024.
Did you like the views? Please consider a donation to help keep material like this coming and this website running.
