Appendix C: Observation Summary

On April 10th, 2021, the team travelled to Winnetka, Illinois, in order to observe the Green Bay Trail in person. The observation session lasted approximately two hours, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, and was led by the project partners, Huels, Witty, and Dowding. Documentation of the trail consisted of pictures and videos, as well as written observations by the team. The purpose of the observation was to better identify the scope of the project and to analyze GBT’s most significant problems.

Pictures and Videos:

A comprehensive collection of the pictures and videos taken of the trail are accessible in the Media Folder.

Below are a few pictures taken of the primary components of the Green Bay Trail beautification project:

Written Observations:

The team observed just how steep the slopes are on either side of the trail, which quickly slopes down approximately 15’. The entire trail is located inside of a man-made ravine for a majority of Winnetka’s portion. Additionally, access to the trail is very limited, with only two ramps which give access to the trail for bikes. The path itself is a combination of paved asphalt and crushed limestone. There are sections of the path that seem to have been more recently paved than others. The below-grade section, with its increased drainage problems, is in huge contrast to the at-grade section farthest north in Winnetka’s section of the GBT, which is in much better condition in terms of drainage and vegetation, and has more access points to the path..

The train tracks posed another problem for the trail. Separated only by a chain link fence, the railroad is extremely close to the trail and when the trains pass through, which is a frequent occurrence, the noise is enough to block all conversations. In the span of our two hour observation session, two trains passed through.

The underpasses are a huge source of wasted space for the GBT and are a huge eyesore to users of the trail. Previous efforts to paint the underpasses have evidently failed due to peeling paint. The northernmost and southernmost bridges see the most traffic, and as a result, are updated more frequently than the others. Despite cement and rock infrastructure, significant erosion occurs at the side of bridges due to water flow.

The two major invasive species found along the Green Bay Trail are buckthorn and common cane. These invasive species thrive in the sitting water and overtake all native species of plants, ultimately overrunning the trail. Lesser silicon, which is a flowering invasive plant, is also a problem. Winter creeper-vine is another invasive species which plagues certain sections of the trail.

There are some drainage areas at the bottom of the slope, but some are blocked and have little leading to them. Additionally, there are many portions of the trail where the pavement and retention walls are beginning to deteriorate, and although there has been an attempt made to dig drainage to the side of the path, visiting the day after slight rain showed just how much sitting water accumulates to the side of the trail. The condition of the wood retention walls is far worse than the cement retention walls; at any point where the slope has man made materials (wood, concrete etc.) there are obvious signs of water damage. Concrete is discolored and wood is rotting.

The difference between the Glencoe and Winnetka sections of the trail was staggering: grass on the sloped decline, no decaying trees, ample space, and no overwhelming invasive species. It was clear that Glencoe was a much more hospitable habitat for the native animals and plant species of the area.