SEEN SOME OF THE RAIL LINES THAT CRISSCROSS THE CITY CONVERTED INTO BIKE TRAILS.

BUT NOT ALL OF THOSE TRAILS WERE CREATED EQUAL.

ON THE SOUTHSIDE, CHAMPIONS OF THE MAJOR TAYLOR TRAIL SAY IT HAS HELPED THEM GET ON THE ROAD TO WELLNESS.

NOW THEY'RE ASKING FOR THE CITY AND COMMUNITIES TO KICK IT INTO HIGH GEAR AND GET THE TRAIL THE AMENITIES THEY SAY IT DESERVES.

>> Reporter: -- >> IT ALWAYS MAKES IT FEEL LIKE A KID WHEN I GET ON MY BIKE.

I HAVE THE WIND IN MY HAIR, THE SITES, THE SOUNDS, THE SMELLS OF JUST BEING OUTSIDE.

IT MAKES ME FEEL REALLY YOUNG AND FREE.

>> Reporter: FOR MEMBERS OF THE MAJOR TAYLOR CYCLING CLUB, RIDING ALONG THE MAJOR TAYLOR TRAIL IS A MAJOR PART OF STAYING HEALTHY IN MIND AND BODY.

>> IT GIVES ME PEACE OF MIND.

IT IS VERY RELAXING.

I DON'T LISTEN TO HEADPHONES OR ANYTHING, BECAUSE NATURE IS MY SOUND SYSTEM THAT I AM ENJOYING.

>> MY DOCTORS TOLD ME, THEY DIAGNOSED ME WITH COPD AND TYPE 2 DIABETES.

IF I WAS NOT RIDING, I MIGHT NOT BE HERE TODAY.

THIS KEEPS ME GOING.

>> RIDING ALLOWS ME TO SEE THINGS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD I NORMALLY WOULD NOT SEE.

IT WAS MENTAL HEALTH FOR ME.

COMING THROUGH HERE, BEING ABLE TO TALK TO MY GIRLFRIENDS , YOU KNOW, BEING ABLE TO COME UP HERE AND SEE THE GREENERY .

>> Reporter: THE TRAIL HONORS BLACK CYCLING CHAMPION MARSHALL MAJOR TAYLOR.

THE FOUNDER OF THE MAJOR TAYLOR CYCLING ALLIANCE CREDITS THE NAMESAKE WITH GETTING HIM ON A BIKE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

>> WHEN I FIRST LEARNED ABOUT HIM AND FOUND OUT HE HAD ALL OF HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS, MY THOUGHT, ANYBODY THAT WAS AFRICAN AMERICAN SHOULD BE RIDING A BIKE AND CHEERING ON MAJOR TAYLOR.

>> Reporter: GIVEN ALL THE TRAIL HAS DONE FOR COMMUNITY WELL-BEING, THE MAJOR TAYLOR CYCLING CLUB SAYS IT IS TIME FOR THE COMMUNITY TO GIVE SOME OF THAT LOVE BACK.

THE TRAIL WAS COMPLETED IN 2006, BUT AS AN EARLY PROJECT, THE CLUB SECRETARY SAYS IT WAS PRETTY BARE-BONES.

SINCE THEN, THE CLUB SAYS THE TRAIL NEEDS MORE AND BETTER AMENITIES TO BRING IT UP TO THE STANDARDS OTHER LOCAL TRAILS ENJOY.

>> PORTA POTTIES, REST STOPS, CHAIRS, GARBAGE CONTAINERS, BETTER LIGHTING.

>> OVER 80% OF THE TRAIL ACTUALLY GOES THROUGH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.

THE TRAIL STARTS AT DAN RYAN AND RUNS ALL THE WAY TO WHISTLER WAS.

IT IS AN 80 MILE TRAIL THAT RUNS LITERALLY, I'M NOT KIDDING YOU, THROUGH THE HEART OF THE SOUTHSIDE OF CHICAGO.

BUT IN THE 90s, WHEN THE CITY WAS PLANNING THE RAILS TO TRAILS PROJECT, THEY WEREN'T AS SOPHISTICATED AS THEY ARE NOW WITH THE 606 TRAIL WITH ALL THE BEAUTIFUL AMENITIES.

FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, THE TRAIL WAS NEVER COMPLETED.

WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE SAME TYPE OF COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING THAT ALL THE OTHER TRAILS ARE GETTING TODAY.

I WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR THIS TRAIL UNTIL IT IS UP TO STANDARD LIKE EVERY OTHER TRAIL BEING PLANNED TODAY.

>> PEOPLE HAVE JOINED WITH HEALTH CHALLENGES.

WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO, THOSE CHALLENGES HAVE DISAPPEARED.

IT HAS SAVED LIVES.

THIS TRAIL, GIVEN ALL IT HAS DONE, ALL WE NEED IS THE SAME CARE ON THE STREET LIKE ALL THE OTHERS, IT WILL SAVE LIVES.

>>> THE TRAIL SUPPORTIVE HAVE BEGUN RAISING $100,000 TO GET A STATUE OF MAJOR TAYLOR HIMSELF