This Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, from 6-7:30pm, come learn about a proposed new elevated trail on the west end of the Bloomingdale Trail. Register now for the virtual webinar.
Friends of the Crosstown Trail is a community group looking to convert a 3.2-mile underutilized elevated rail line from Cortland to Montrose into a continuous green corridor that links the Bloomingdale Trail to the Weber Spur and North Branch Trail. This new connection would add more than 40 acres of green space and create an off-street route across several Northwest Side neighborhoods.
The Crosstown Trail was inspired by the Bloomingdale Trail’s power to transform how Chicagoans connect with one another and their city. Many of us who helped start this initiative once lived along the Bloomingdale Trail and experienced firsthand how it reshaped daily life—offering a safe, car-free space to walk, bike, and spend time outdoors. Now, we want to extend that same opportunity to neighbors farther northwest.
Like the Bloomingdale Trail, the Crosstown Trail is a community-driven effort. We’re engaging residents, businesses, and local leaders to shape the vision together—and to continue the momentum that started with the Bloomingdale Trail. The Crosstown Trail builds on that legacy, creating the next link in Chicago’s growing network of trails.
