Bloomingdale Trail Park Construction View Full Caption

CHICAGO — The City of Chicago on Wednesday awarded the contract to build the Bloomingdale Trail to Walsh Construction, the city's Department of Transportation announced.

Walsh's bid of $53.7 million was more than $5.2 million lower than the next lowest bid, the city said.

The much anticipated, elevated trail will follow old Canadian Pacific Railway tracks for 2.7 miles through Humboldt Park, Bucktown, Wicker Park and Logan Square.

About half of the Bloomingdale Trail’s projected development cost is being financed through federal highway and transportation grant funding.

The remainder is being raised through a partnership between the city, the Chicago Park District, and the Trust for Public Land, the nation’s leading organization focused on creating parks and preserving land, which is serving as project manager.

"The Bloomingdale Park and Trail will be one the most distinct and user-friendly open spaces to be developed anywhere in the country," Mayor Rahm Emanuel said. "I am pleased that this project continues to make progress, and I look forward to the start of construction this summer."

Walsh's work includes rehabbing the viaducts retaining walls along the trail, removing railroad tracks and building the multiuse path.

The trail is scheduled to open by the end of 2014.