Welcome to Harbor Country Trails
The Harbor Country Hike & Bike Trail project is a long-term comprehensive project to bring a network of interconnected non-motorized vehicle trails to the corner of Southwest Michigan known as Harbor Country. It creates a safe place for people to walk and bike which is critical in developing a successful community and for providing an opportunity so people can become more active.
Bordered by the golden shores of Lake Michigan to the northwest, the hills and farms of Indiana to the south, and the vineyards and orchards of the fruit-basket of Michigan to the north and east, Harbor Country Bike & Hike Trails will connect residents and visitors alike to best that Harbor Country has to offer.
When complete, the 36 mile Hike & Bike Trail project will offer bicyclists and hikers the ability to connect between New Buffalo, Three Oaks, Sawyer, Grand Beach, Harbert, Union Pier, Michiana, and points in between using safe, convenient, attractive paths and shared access ways.
The Harbor Country Hike & Bike routes focuses on creating a network of sidewalks, shared use paths, roadways and bike lanes that will link neighborhood communities, business districts, schools and parks. The Friends of Harbor Country Trails is responsible for this effort, which has received significant grants from
the Pokagon Fund.
Help Us Build the Marquette Greenway
Imagine being able to ride your bike safely from Chicago all the way to New Buffalo or to spend a sunny afternoon hiking from Michigan City to New Buffalo and back. Dozens of volunteers have been working on this project for over a decade to make this dream a reality.
The Marquette Greenway is an ambitious project. the goal is to finish a regional, non-motorised greenway which will span 58 miles in length along the south shore of Lake Michigan from Calumet Park in Chicago to downtown New Buffalo, Michigan.
Residents throughout the region have long been hoping for an uninterrupted trail connecting these three states and providing access to a wide variety of destinations along the lakefront.Today 28 miles of the Marquette Greenway are already built or have been funded. Our team is working to fund 3.8 miles for the Michigan portion of the trail, from the Indiana State Line to downtown New Buffalo. Grant applications have been submitted to build the trail but we additionally need to raise approximately $650,000.
Pre-development funding will cover costs of extensive land survey that is required to determine the path of the trail. Your donation is greatly appreciated and will be an important part of bringing this exciting project to completion.
In July 2018, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) applied for a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to complete the Marquette Greenway. This ambitious regional, paved non-motorized facility will span 58-miles in length from Calumet Park in Chicago, IL, eastward through the heart of Northwest Indiana, and into downtown New Buffalo, MI.
It has been the desire of those in the South Shore region to have an uninterrupted trail connecting these three states, and in turn providing access to a wide variety of destinations along the lakefront. Numerous entities within this planned corridor have been collaborating with NIRPC for over a decade to realize this bold vision. In 2005, the Greenway became a focal point in the landmark Marquette Plan: Indiana’s Lakeshore Reinvest-ment Strategy document, and has carried forward as a top priority today. The route was further identified and promoted with the Marquette Greenway Poster Plan in 2009, which has led all planning and development of the trail to date.
The Marquette Greenway will represent an unparalleled trail experience, traversing through a diverse land-scape, both geographic and socio-economic. It will connect a population of 130,000 residents within a mile of the facility, including 60,000 who are employed within the corridor. Connections to the trail are vast, with the 450-mile Grand Illinois Trail from the west, the Burnham Greenway, Erie-Lackawanna Trail, and Dunes-Kankakee Trail from the south, and linking to the Harbor Country Trail network from the east. Taken together these additional connections link to a population base of well over 8 million people.
Today, 28 miles of the Marquette Greenway has either been built or funded. The remaining 30-miles exist in the cities of Chicago, Hammond, Gary, Portage, Michigan City, New Buffalo; the towns of Ogden Dunes, Burns Harbor, and counties of Porter, LaPorte, and Berrien. This BUILD grant has been proposed to finish these remaining miles, with a total federal request of $24.2 million.
For more information please contact the us at
Friends of Harbor Country Trails,
Mr. Feinberg at friends@harborcountrytrails.org
*Friends of Harbor Country Trails is a 501(c)3 organization.
All Donations go towards the Marquette Greenway.
"Project Report for Property Value/Desirability Effects of Bike Paths Adjacent to Residential Areas prepared for Delaware Center For Transportation and The State of Delaware Department of Transportation by David P. Racca and Amardeep Dhanju"
"Conclusion This project performed a literature review of past information and studies concerning property values related to the presence of bicycle and pedestrian paths. In addition, Delaware property values were examined to determine how the presence of a bicycle path may affect property values. Bike facilities are typically also for pedestrians, skaters, and other non-motorized uses and are typically referred to as paths, trails, or greenways. Bike lanes addressed in this project were, for the most part, dedicated paths rather than portions of the public roadway simply striped or designated as a suggested bikeway due to extra road width or shoulders.
The majority of studies examined indicate that the presence of a bike path/trail either increases property values and ease of sale slightly or has no effect. Studies have shown that neighbors of many bike paths/trails feel that the quality of life of their neighborhood has been improved, that the trails were a good use of open space, and in the case of abandoned railways were an improvement from before the trails went in. There is definitely a large portion of the population that sees bike paths as an amenity and will seek out residences near trails, parks, and other natural resource areas.
Some studies express that those recently moving into areas near bike paths are generally more favorable to them than those who have lived in neighborhoods before the construction of a trail. In some areas, a large majority of neighbors are very happy with the trails, even some who were originally opposed to their construction. Whether or not a bike path is generally beneficial for a locale depends on a number of factors.
Opponents to bike path and trail projects often say that property values will be adversely affected but there is not much evidence of this. The National Parks Service hits the mark when they say, “Increases in nearby property values depend upon the ability of developers, planners, and greenway proponents to successfully integrate neighborhood development and open space. Designing greenways to minimize potential homeowner park user conflicts can help avoid a decrease in property values of immediately adjacent."
There are numerous examples in the literature that indicate overall success depending on attention to design and maintenance and addressing issues and problems with property owners promptly. A model developed in this project that examined factors affecting property values in Delaware and the effects of proximity to a bike path show that a bicycle path would be expected to slightly increase property values by about $8,800.
Related to property values is crime, and information about crime near or on bike paths is referenced in this report. Crime happens in most types of land use ( e.g. parking lots, college campus, abandoned railway, street corner, stores, wooded areas, industrial parks, private homes etc) and with any recreational facility the level of crime typically is correlated with the level of crime in the surrounding area and the design of the facility. A well-managed recreation facility is more likely to be a better neighboring land use than an abandoned property. This study concludes that crime on bike paths is minimal and must be considered in perspective with risks associated with other activities. The way to minimize crime on trails is to ensure that users exercise proper safety precautions, keep the trail well maintained, and boost trail use.
Imagine being able to ride your bike safely from Chicago all the way to New Buffalo or to spend a sunny afternoon hiking from Michigan City to New Buffalo and back. Dozens of volunteers have been working on this project for over a decade to make this dream a reality.
The Marquette Greenway is an ambitious project. the goal is to finish a regional, non-motorised greenway which will span 58 miles in length along the south shore of Lake Michigan from Calumet Park in Chicago to downtown New Buffalo, Michigan.
Residents throughout the region have long been hoping for an uninterrupted trail connecting these three states and providing access to a wide variety of destinations along the lakefront.Today 28 miles of the Marquette Greenway are already built or have been funded. Our team is working to fund 3.8 miles for the Michigan portion of the trail, from the Indiana State Line to downtown New Buffalo. Grant applications have been submitted to build the trail but we additionally need to raise approximately $650,000.
Pre-development funding will cover costs of extensive land survey that is required to determine the path of the trail. Your donation is greatly appreciated and will be an important part of bringing this exciting project to completion.
In July 2018, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) applied for a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to complete the Marquette Greenway. This ambitious regional, paved non-motorized facility will span 58-miles in length from Calumet Park in Chicago, IL, eastward through the heart of Northwest Indiana, and into downtown New Buffalo, MI.
It has been the desire of those in the South Shore region to have an uninterrupted trail connecting these three states, and in turn providing access to a wide variety of destinations along the lakefront. Numerous entities within this planned corridor have been collaborating with NIRPC for over a decade to realize this bold vision. In 2005, the Greenway became a focal point in the landmark Marquette Plan: Indiana’s Lakeshore Reinvest-ment Strategy document, and has carried forward as a top priority today. The route was further identified and promoted with the Marquette Greenway Poster Plan in 2009, which has led all planning and development of the trail to date.
The Marquette Greenway will represent an unparalleled trail experience, traversing through a diverse land-scape, both geographic and socio-economic. It will connect a population of 130,000 residents within a mile of the facility, including 60,000 who are employed within the corridor. Connections to the trail are vast, with the 450-mile Grand Illinois Trail from the west, the Burnham Greenway, Erie-Lackawanna Trail, and Dunes-Kankakee Trail from the south, and linking to the Harbor Country Trail network from the east. Taken together these additional connections link to a population base of well over 8 million people.
Today, 28 miles of the Marquette Greenway has either been built or funded. The remaining 30-miles exist in the cities of Chicago, Hammond, Gary, Portage, Michigan City, New Buffalo; the towns of Ogden Dunes, Burns Harbor, and counties of Porter, LaPorte, and Berrien. This BUILD grant has been proposed to finish these remaining miles, with a total federal request of $24.2 million.
For more information please contact the us at
Friends of Harbor Country Trails,
Mr. Feinberg at friends@harborcountrytrails.org
*Friends of Harbor Country Trails is a 501(c)3 organization.
All Donations go towards the Marquette Greenway.
"Project Report for Property Value/Desirability Effects of Bike Paths Adjacent to Residential Areas prepared for Delaware Center For Transportation and The State of Delaware Department of Transportation by David P. Racca and Amardeep Dhanju"
"Conclusion: This project performed a literature review of past information and studies concerning property values related to the presence of bicycle and pedestrian paths. In addition, Delaware property values were examined to determine how the presence of a bicycle path may affect property values. Bike facilities are typically also for pedestrians, skaters, and other non-motorized uses and are typically referred to as paths, trails, or greenways. Bike lanes addressed in this project were, for the most part, dedicated paths rather than portions of the public roadway simply striped or designated as a suggested bikeway due to extra road width or shoulders…” Read More
Imagine being able to ride your bike safely from Chicago all the way to New Buffalo or to spend a sunny afternoon hiking from Michigan City to New Buffalo and back. Dozens of volunteers have been working on this project for over a decade to make this dream a reality.
The Marquette Greenway is an ambitious project. the goal is to finish a regional, non-motorised greenway which will span 58 miles in length along the south shore of Lake Michigan from Calumet Park in Chicago to downtown New Buffalo, Michigan.
Residents throughout the region have long been hoping for an uninterrupted trail connecting these three states and providing access to a wide variety of destinations along the lakefront.Today 28 miles of the Marquette Greenway are already built or have been funded. Our team is working to fund 3.8 miles for the Michigan portion of the trail, from the Indiana State Line to downtown New Buffalo. Grant applications have been submitted to build the trail but we additionally need to raise approximately $650,000.
Pre-development funding will cover costs of extensive land survey that is required to determine the path of the trail. Your donation is greatly appreciated and will be an important part of bringing this exciting project to completion.
In July 2018, the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission (NIRPC) applied for a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant to complete the Marquette Greenway. This ambitious regional, paved non-motorized facility will span 58-miles in length from Calumet Park in Chicago, IL, eastward through the heart of Northwest Indiana, and into downtown New Buffalo, MI.
It has been the desire of those in the South Shore region to have an uninterrupted trail connecting these three states, and in turn providing access to a wide variety of destinations along the lakefront. Numerous entities within this planned corridor have been collaborating with NIRPC for over a decade to realize this bold vision. In 2005, the Greenway became a focal point in the landmark Marquette Plan: Indiana’s Lakeshore Reinvest-ment Strategy document, and has carried forward as a top priority today. The route was further identified and promoted with the Marquette Greenway Poster Plan in 2009, which has led all planning and development of the trail to date.
The Marquette Greenway will represent an unparalleled trail experience, traversing through a diverse land-scape, both geographic and socio-economic. It will connect a population of 130,000 residents within a mile of the facility, including 60,000 who are employed within the corridor. Connections to the trail are vast, with the 450-mile Grand Illinois Trail from the west, the Burnham Greenway, Erie-Lackawanna Trail, and Dunes-Kankakee Trail from the south, and linking to the Harbor Country Trail network from the east. Taken together these additional connections link to a population base of well over 8 million people.
Today, 28 miles of the Marquette Greenway has either been built or funded. The remaining 30-miles exist in the cities of Chicago, Hammond, Gary, Portage, Michigan City, New Buffalo; the towns of Ogden Dunes, Burns Harbor, and counties of Porter, LaPorte, and Berrien. This BUILD grant has been proposed to finish these remaining miles, with a total federal request of $24.2 million.
For more information please contact the us at
Friends of Harbor Country Trails,
Mr. Feinberg at friends@harborcountrytrails.org
*Friends of Harbor Country Trails is a 501(c)3 organization.
All Donations go towards the Marquette Greenway.
"Project Report for Property Value/Desirability Effects of Bike Paths Adjacent to Residential Areas prepared for Delaware Center For Transportation and The State of Delaware Department of Transportation by David P. Racca and Amardeep Dhanju"
"Conclusion: This project performed a literature review of past information and studies concerning property values related to the presence of bicycle and pedestrian paths. In addition, Delaware property values were examined to determine how the presence of a bicycle path may affect property values. Bike facilities are typically also for pedestrians, skaters, and other non-motorized uses and are typically referred to as paths, trails, or greenways. Bike lanes addressed in this project were, for the most part, dedicated paths rather than portions of the public roadway simply striped or designated as a suggested bikeway due to extra road width or shoulders…” Read More
Map
A thirty-six mile bike route through New Buffalo, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, Sawyer, and Three Oaks. Bringing the communities together by creating a safe place for people to walk, ride bikes, and be active.
News and Events
CHICAGO (CBS) — The Marquette Greenway will take bicyclists and pedestrians on a scenic trip around the southern tip of Lake Michigan.
Read More News and Events
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friends@harborcountrytrails.org
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Copyright 2018 Harbor Country Trails. All rights reserved.
friends@harborcountrytrails.org
Site Powered by Fusion Design Group, ltd.