A historic water agreement has led to the creation of a new bike and pedestrian trail which is scheduled to open this summer. The new Prairie Farms Trail is expected to open for bicycle and pedestrian traffic this June (weather permitting). The trail will serve a dual purpose as both a recreational trail and a trail for utility maintenance.
In accordance with a historic return flow water agreement, the 73-1 and Sewer D treatment plants were retired by the last day of 2010. The return flow agreement helped secure a supply of safe and radium free drinking water to the western half of the Village. At the same time, it assured the Great Lakes States that Pleasant Prairie would end it's Lake Michigan (water) diversion and begin returning water, drawn from Lake Michigan, to the Great Lakes Basin by the end of 2010 in order to protect the resource. The work to end the diversion led to a unique opportunity to create a bike and pedestrian trail over the newly constructed sewer relief line. The line carries wastewater, that was formerly treated at the Sewer D plant, to a connection point with a Village wastewater collection system.
In order to allow for regular maintenance, a granular path was installed above the relief line. The granular path has been dual purposed to create the new Prairie Farms Trail. It's planned that the trail will eventually connect Pleasant Prairie Park located on 104th Avenue and Prairie Springs Park. Initially, the trail will be gravel and approximately two miles long. It will dead end before a creek in a nearby field creating an out and back style trail. Ultimately, the path will be paved, once a future culvert has been installed over the creek on the northwest end of the trail. The trail is expected to be paved by the end of 2014.
"The fact that we were able to offer the community an added recreational opportunity due to the diversion project is really a bonus," commented Mike Pollocoff, Village Administrator. "An added plus was that the trail was built with recycled millings from 2011 roadwork in LakeView Corporate Park. It's really presented Village staff a unique opportunity."