The Constitution Trail is a multi-use trail made possible by a joint venture with the City of Bloomington and the Town of Normal. The initial idea for the trail was proposed by Hugh Atwood, an alderman on the Bloomington City Council, in the early 1980’s. He had seen bike trails in other cities and thought this would be a wonderful amenity for Bloomington-Normal. The Illinois Central Gulf Railroad line was abandoned at around this same time, which provided an appropriate pathway for a trail. Although some members of the community had apprehensions, the railroad tracks were removed, and the first part of the trail was laid. Initially, the trail covered 4.3 miles. The Trail was officially dedicated and named “Constitution Trail” in celebration of the 200th birthday of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1987; the Trail grand opening was May 6, 1989. The community responded positively, and this led to the gradual expansion of the trail, which now covers over 24 miles.
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