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Construction of Marquette Greenway Trail - Calumet Segment
Indiana Dunes National Park » Construction of Marquette Greenway Trail - Calumet Segment » Document List
Indiana Dunes National Park (Park), in partnership with Porter County, Indiana, propose to build an approximately 6.3-mile segment of paved trail which is compliant with the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) and Americans with Disability Act (ADA). The agreement would grant permission for Porter County to construct the trail through portions of the National Park. It would reroute a portion of the current Calumet Trail, which is located in a flooded utility corridor, into the National Park providing a safe, more usable, and scenic experience. This trail would become part of the Marquette Greenway Trail, a 60-mile regional trail stretching from Chicago, IL, to New Buffalo, MI.
An Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to provide a decision-making framework as follows: 1) Assess a reasonable range of alternatives to meet the purpose of the proposed action; 2) Evaluate potential issues and impacts to the Natural and Cultural Resources of the Park; and 3) Identify required mitigation measures designed to lessen the degree or extent of any potential adverse environmental impacts.
This EA evaluated two alternatives: Alternative A - No Action; and Alternative B - Build the trail (Preferred Alternative). Under Alternative A, the trail would not be constructed. Under Alternative B, the Park would enter into a partnership with the County and grant permission for the County to construct the trail. The County would follow all NPS compliance, design, and construction regulations and policies to minimize resource damage.
This EA identified the categories of resources, or Impact Topics, found within the project area that were most likely to be affected by the actions described in each alternative. These topics underwent a detailed analysis by agency staff to determine the most likely effects on the resources and the mitigations required to avoid resource damage. The Impact Topics are identified in section 1.4 of the EA document and in Table 1. The Preferred Alternative, Alternative B, will result in no major impacts to resources of the Park.
A public information sharing session was held on Wednesday, September 26, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center located at 1215 North State Road 49, Porter, IN 46304. The EA for Marquette Greenway Trail - Calumet Reroute Segment was open for public review and comment from September 19, 2023, to October 18, 2023.
The NPS has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), and Alternative B - Build the Trail was the selected alternative. This alternative best meets the project purpose and need, which is to provide ABA/ADA connectivity and transportation throughout the Park and to adjacent communities with an East-West trail connecting the entire length of the Park, connecting the Park to the regional Marquette Greenway Trail thus allowing for regional access to the Park from as far away as Chicago, providing non-motorized methods of getting into the Park in order to reduce car and parking congestion, and to promote green and healthy ways of getting to and enjoying the Park.
Christopher J. Pergiel
Acting Superintendent
Acting Superintendent
Indiana Dunes National Park
1100 North Mineral Springs Road
Porter, IN 46301
(219) 395-1699
An Environmental Assessment (EA) has been prepared in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to provide a decision-making framework as follows: 1) Assess a reasonable range of alternatives to meet the purpose of the proposed action; 2) Evaluate potential issues and impacts to the Natural and Cultural Resources of the Park; and 3) Identify required mitigation measures designed to lessen the degree or extent of any potential adverse environmental impacts.
This EA evaluated two alternatives: Alternative A - No Action; and Alternative B - Build the trail (Preferred Alternative). Under Alternative A, the trail would not be constructed. Under Alternative B, the Park would enter into a partnership with the County and grant permission for the County to construct the trail. The County would follow all NPS compliance, design, and construction regulations and policies to minimize resource damage.
This EA identified the categories of resources, or Impact Topics, found within the project area that were most likely to be affected by the actions described in each alternative. These topics underwent a detailed analysis by agency staff to determine the most likely effects on the resources and the mitigations required to avoid resource damage. The Impact Topics are identified in section 1.4 of the EA document and in Table 1. The Preferred Alternative, Alternative B, will result in no major impacts to resources of the Park.
A public information sharing session was held on Wednesday, September 26, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, at the Indiana Dunes Visitor Center located at 1215 North State Road 49, Porter, IN 46304. The EA for Marquette Greenway Trail - Calumet Reroute Segment was open for public review and comment from September 19, 2023, to October 18, 2023.
The NPS has issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), and Alternative B - Build the Trail was the selected alternative. This alternative best meets the project purpose and need, which is to provide ABA/ADA connectivity and transportation throughout the Park and to adjacent communities with an East-West trail connecting the entire length of the Park, connecting the Park to the regional Marquette Greenway Trail thus allowing for regional access to the Park from as far away as Chicago, providing non-motorized methods of getting into the Park in order to reduce car and parking congestion, and to promote green and healthy ways of getting to and enjoying the Park.
Christopher J. Pergiel
Acting Superintendent
Contact Information
For information about the park, and the planning process, please contact:Acting Superintendent
Indiana Dunes National Park
1100 North Mineral Springs Road
Porter, IN 46301
(219) 395-1699