Handi-Ramp Treads Provides Help to Dupage County Preserve

It was a hot August day when Alex answered the phone at Handi-Treads in Libertyville, IL.

“Hello, this is Handi-Ramp. How may I help you?” Alex said.

“Hello. I am looking for a product called Handi-Tread™. We saw it on your website. It looks like we need your treads.”

“Sure, I am happy to help. Handi-treads is one of our most innovative new products.”

This conversation was just the beginning of an opportunity for Handi-Ramp to help make the DuPage County Forest Preserves safer. The caller was calling from DuPage County about a new bridge that had been built over a bog at Timber Ridge Boardwalk in West Chicago that was slippery.

Timber Ridge is a forest preserve in West Chicago that passes through a wet, marshy bog and environmental wetlands. It connects the Great Western trail to St. Charles road and runs along the DuPage River. The wetlands are a beautiful site but made it hard for hikers and bikers to pass through a big puddle of mud.

In December of last year a wonderful new bridge was constructed out of completely recycled plastic, a green solution that created a boardwalk through the wetlands part of the forest preserve. The bridge was constructed in the winter in snow and icy conditions and opened up in the spring for use.
Although conditions were dry and warm when it opened, a few bikers and skateboarders started to slide around in the curvy area of the boardwalk. The new recycled plastic boardwalk was slippery. DuPage County Forest Preserve was concerned about one of its citizens slipping, tripping and falling on the new plastic boardwalk. They found handi-treads on the internet, which were the right solution for the slippery surface.

Handi-Ramp created a custom sized tread that fit on top of the boardwalk and provided traction to the top surface of the trail. In addition Handi-Ramp installed the treads, which came in a matching black color.

With the new Handi-Treads in place hikers, bikers, rollerbladers and even cross country skiers can enjoy Timber Ridge trail!