A plan for trails in the City of Champaign is well under way, as a public meeting for discussing the next steps in the project and showcasing the drafted maps will be held Feb. 15. at the Champaign Public Library.

There will be 17 trails stretching 66 miles total, said Mishauno Woggon, planner for the City of Champaign Planning Department. Three different types of trails will comprise the project, including greenways, railtrails, and multi-use pathways. The three differ in where they are built, such as on abandoned railways or land above pipelines, and in “atmosphere,” such as urban or natural.

She said the City of Champaign and Champaign Park District decided to make a collaborative effort in this project, known as the Champaign Trails Master Plan.

“What we want to see out of this is a community that people chose because of its quality of life and ability to provide for recreational needs,” Woggon said. “It provides a way to commute to work and school. Residents can walk these trails in the evening with their families, walk their dog (and) walk to work.”

Terri Gibble, park planner of the Champaign Park District, said the park district decided to carry out the Champaign Trails Master Plan after reviewing the results of a community interest survey that was given to residents a few years back.

“Trailways were among the top concerns for people,” she said. “Though we have them, it isn’t a comprehensive trail system.”

The trails constructed in the past 30 years were all funded by private donors, Gibble said. She added that the Champaign Trails Master Plan worked on improving these existing trails and connecting them to one another in the area to promote Champaign transportation.

“The trails we have aren’t necessarily connected to each other or to population and commercial centers,” she added. “The trail plan takes it past that. It shows connection to trailways outside of Champaign, like Urbana and the county. It takes a magnified look at one area of the county.”

Among the main issues in planning the trail pathways include funding, Gibble said. This makes a time frame for the project difficult for the Champaign Park District to estimate.

“The only chapter of the plan we have completed is planning the trails themselves,” Gibble said. “We are continuing to work on the implementation of the plan.”

The park district board and Champaign City Council will critique points brought up in the final draft of the plan; both groups will look to approve the project in late spring or early summer.

“For the trails plan to work with the board, it requires a number of criteria,” Bobbie Herakovich, executive director of the Champaign Park District, said. “It would need to connect the park to public schools, commercial facilities, local government buildings, etc.”

Woggon said the Trails Master Plan is different from any other made before because it will specifically outline what the next step is in the process: starting construction of the Boneyard Trail in its second phase.

“We are at the very beginning,” Woggon said. “These are very important steps being taken. This is a long-term plan, but it is something well worth it.”