The
5-mile north section of the Interurban Trail is the most recent
trail completed in 2004. It extends south from Springfield, following
the old interurban railway line. The trail connects to the east
end of the Wabash Trail at the intersection of MacArthur Boulevard
and Wabash Avenue. It heads south across Hazel Dell Road and under
Interstate 72. Here the trail begins running alongside the active
Amtrak railroad line and continues across Woodside Road to Lake
Springfield. It crosses the lake on a refurbished railroad bridge
and continues into Chatham, ending at Walnut Street. The trail
is proposed to continue in the future south to Auburn. A short
length of the trail in the corporate limits is managed by the
Village of Chatham.
The trail
is very scenic even with its close proximity to the active railroad
line. Most of the trail passes through areas that are open farmland
or scattered housing. Near the lake it intersects at two locations
with CWLP's Lick Creek mountain bike trail making a loop to the
west around a section of the lake.
