DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — The Danville City Council is expected to hire the Lochmueller Group to help find the best route to extend the Kickapoo Rail Trail from the Vermilion County Fairgrounds into the city.

The group will help project planning services to reach the best route solution. It’s 4.5 miles from the fairgrounds into Danville. Officials said the long-term goal is to extend the Kickapoo Rail Trail from Danville to Urbana.

The portion of the trail appears to be unused, but has not been officially abandoned. That means there’s a chance the City of Danville could get it.

“It’s one of those projects that is good both for visitors that come here and spend their money in Danville and Vermilion County…[and] for the for the health of the people that live here and like to bike,” Jeanie Cooke, Executive Director of the Danville Area Visitors Bureau said. “Keeps them closer to home, and [offers] lots of wonderful activities.”

The study will include an evaluation of up to three different routes, gauging factors ranging from the flood plain to traffic congestion.