Rock Island Residents Speak Out Against Pedestrian And Bike Lane Proposal

Potential plans for a bridge to connect businesses in Rock Island to Rock Island State Park drew community concern from Warren County residents.

County Executive Terry Bell said from his understanding, conversations to make such plans occurred before he was elected between then-executive Jimmy Haley, Friends of Historic Rock Island Founder Beth Campbell, and a commissioner.

“This was only a planning study that they had,” Bell said. “And they had made some drawings that had this going across a lot of people’s front yards which had them upset and I understand that.”

Bell said that he would like to have renderings for the potential to have proposed bike and pedestrian lanes in the Rock Island State Park. He said he believes it could fill a gap in amenities at the state park rather than affecting private property.

Bell said the residents were not in support of the plans presented Friday, but he thinks they would be in support of something at the state park. He said a study for that project will have to be discussed with the firm that conducted the previous study.

“I don’t know if they’ve exhausted their funds, but I learned a lot at the meeting we had the other day at Rock Island,” Bell said.”So we’ll have to check in and see if there’s anything we can do at the park.”

Bell said that from his standpoint, they do not want to go across private property to try and put a walking trail in the Rock Island area. He said if something can be changed and something can be put in the state park, it might be more likely to get the community on the same page.