CHICAGO-Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3) brought together local governments and advocacy groups

for a roundtable Thursday at the Lipinski Community Center in Justice to discuss options on how to close

the five-mile gap in the I&M Canal Trail that exists between Willow Springs Road in the Village of

Willow Springs and the Chicago Portage National Historic Site in the Village of Lyons. The roundtable was

scheduled to develop feasible alternatives to complete the gap in the existing Centennial Trail / I&M Canal

Trail / Des Plaines River Trail system.

"As a frequent user of the I&M Canal Trail, I know it has to become one of Chicagoland's finest amenities

if we complete the extension project and close the existing gap," said Lipinski. "Extending and improving

the trail in my district will help serve as an economic development tool for local communities like Summit,

Justice and Bedford Park. This is a top priority of mine and I will look for ways in the upcoming federal

transportation reauthorization to advance this critical project."