m-bike.org

Author: Todd Scott

  • It’s time for Bikes Lanes on Tienken

    rcoc-logoThe Road Commission for Oakland County is widening another road.  This time it’s Tienken between Livernois and Sheldon Roads.

    If ever a county road needed bike lanes, this would be it. It would connect Livernois, the Paint Creek Trail, Stony Creek High School, and Sheldon Road (a main access point for the Stony Creek Metropark.)

    We need cyclists to give their input to the Road Commission.

    A public meeting is planned for January 21st from 4pm until 7pm in the auditorium at Rochester Hills City Hall, 1000 Rochester Hills Drive (south of Avon Road between Livernois and Old Perch roads).

    According to the Road Commission, “Public input will help shape the ultimate project design.”

    If you are unable to attend the meeting on the 21st, please submit your comments to:

    The Road Commission for Oakland County
    31001 Lahser Road
    Beverly Hills, MI 48025
    E-Mail: dcsmail@rcoc.org
    Phone: 877-858-4804

    If you can attend the meeting, the Road Commission will likely provide their normal technical brush offs.  Here are what you can expect:

    Brush off: The Road Commission has a policy of not accomodating bikes on the road.

    Answer: The Road Commission mission is “to provide the public with leadership in safe and convenient road.”  Bike lanes are the safest place a cyclist can bike.

    Brush off: The Road Commission will build a safety path for bicycles.

    Answer: Safety paths are wide sidewalks and are not safe nor satisfactory solutions for for bicyclists according to MDOT and AASHTO.

    Brush off: On-road facilities aren’t safe.

    Answer: Studies find that bike lanes are the safest place to ride a bike.  Wide sidewalks are the least safe.

    Brush off: The Road Commission doesn’t have the money.

    Answer: Ask them, “is there no money to make this road safe for cyclists?  Is there money to make this road safe for motorists?”  There is grant funding for non-motorized facilities. No less than one-percent of the Road Commission’s state road funding must be spent on non-motorized facilities such as bike lanes.

  • Attention Farmington Hills Cyclists

    The City of Farmington Hills is updating their master plan.  The current draft promises Farmington Hills will continue to be one of the least safe places to ride a bike in Metro Detroit.

    There is no planning for bike lanes, paved shoulders,  or similar on-road facilities that would make Farmington Hills more bikeable and safer.  There is no mention of building Complete Streets or even Safe Routes to School.

    The draft plan does mention bike paths, which appear to be wide sidewalks — not AASHTO compliant bicycle facilities.

    Area cyclists are encouraged to contact the Farmington Hills Planning Department to let them know you want to safe bicycling facilities that follow AASHTO guidelines and best practices.

  • Friday Biking Wrap Up

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    Detroit News

    This is just a collection of small items…

    Winter Cycling Photos

    For three days in a row, either the Detroit News or the Detroit Free Press have run a photo of a cyclist riding in the cold and snowy environment.  The articles themselves were only about the cold weather and not about biking in it.

    Cash for Clunkers

    The Detroit News has reported that “Congress is mulling a proposal to pay people to get rid of those old gas guzzlers sitting in their driveways.”

    Congress is talking about a $1 billion to $2 billion per program that would eventually reduce U.S. fuel usage by 40,000 and 80,000 barrels of fuel per day.

    Under legislation introduced Wednesday in the House and Senate and called the “Cash for Clunkers” program, drivers could get vouchers of up to $4,500 when they turn in their old fuel-inefficient vehicles for scrapping and buy vehicles that get good gas mileage.

    It seems the government could see much greater reduction in fuel usage by investing that money in bicycle facilities instead.

    American Families and Bike Paths

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    Free Press

    House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) was recently on Face the Nation and commented on Obama’s economic stimulus bill and what would be “responsible.”

    I think there’s a place for infrastructure, but what kind of infrastructure? Infrastructure to widen highways, to ease congestion for American families? Is it to build some buildings that are necessary?…  But if we’re talking about beautification projects, or we’re talking about bike paths, Americans are not going to look very kindly on this.

    Really?  American families are not going to appreciate government spending on biking facilities?  An America Bikes survey found 53% of Americans favor
    increased federal spending on bike facilities.

    Congressman Earl Blumenauer

    The New York Times wrote an excellent article on Oregon’s congressman Earl Blumenauer.

    “We have been flogging this bicycle thing for 20 years,” said Mr. Blumenauer, a Democrat. “All of a sudden it’s hot.”

    But Mr. Blumenauer’s goals are larger than putting Americans on two wheels. He seeks to create what he calls a more sustainable society, including wiser use of energy, farming that improves the land rather than degrades it, an end to taxpayer subsidies for unwise development — and a transportation infrastructure that looks beyond the car.

    Note that you don’t need to be from Oregon to donate money to his campaign.  We need to make sure he stays in Washington and continues to carry the torch for better bicycling.

  • Detroit Greenways get $3.5 Million Grant

    img_0300The Detroit Greenways Coalition is a group of non-profits involved in developing greenways and trails within the cities of Detroit, Hamtramck, and Highland Park.

    The Coalition recently applied for and received a $3.5 million dollar grant to help continue and grow momentum for more non-motorized trails.  It’s a huge opportunity to get some significant projects completed and move others toward completion.

    The grant specifically allocated monies to three projects: the Dequindre Cut extention (from Gratiot to Mack), the Midtown loop (Phase II), and the Conner Creek Greenway.  The grant money won’t pay for all of these project, but it will serve as matching funds to bring in MDOT and DNR grant funds.

    The Free Press recently ran a story on this grant.

    “I think it’s a really exciting contribution for Kresge to commit to Detroit neighborhoods in this way,” said Libby Pachota, project director for the Conner Creek Greenway. “And it’s exciting that folks want to support infrastructure development and green space in neighborhoods in Detroit.”

    Stay tuned for more updates on Detroit trails.  It’s shaping up to be a good summer.

  • New Bridge inches forward

    We previously discussed the plans for the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge and whether it will accommodate bicycling.

    Yesterday, the Federal Highway Administration made the following announcement:

    Plans to build a second border crossing between Michigan and Ontario have received the necessary environmental approvals from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

    The “record of decision” (ROD), signed today by U.S. officials, represents the Detroit River International Crossing’s (DRIC) final environmental clearance and allows Michigan to begin right-of-way acquisition and construction planning for the bridge.

    If completed, the project – including a plaza where tolls and U.S. border inspection activities will occur, and an interchange connecting it to I-75 – would span nearly seven miles. Under current estimates, the new crossing is expected to be open to traffic in 2013.

    Prior to this announcement, MTGA and other groups (including the Detroit Mayor’s Office of Energy and Sustainability) submitted comments that encouraged biking and walking on the bridge.

    These comments generally asked:

    • How does this project positively impact Detroit greenways and the City’s non-motorized plan?
    • How does the bridge accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians?

    MTGA comments noted that not all of the greenways in the DRIC’s vicinity were included, nor was there any mention of Detroit’s non-motorized plan.  MDOT said they “will investigate ways to integrate these projects.”

    MTGA also asked for clarification on how bicycle would be routed on the bridge.  (There is a sidewalk planned for pedestrians.)  MDOT  responded:

    The accommodation for bicycles on the new river bridge is likely to be the right shoulder. When exiting the bridge, a bicyclist would remain to the right of traffic and proceed to a separate building near the primary processing booths for vehicles. After processing, there would be an exit to Jefferson Avenue. All of this is subject to the determination of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its Canadian counterpart to allow bicycle use of the new Detroit River bridge.

    That last statement could be a deal killer, though it’s difficult to imagine how a bicycle could be any more of a threat than a car or truck.

    Still,  it may make sense to involve folks like Senator Carl Levin early on.  Senator Levin has been a major supporter of the Detroit Riverwalk and there’s every reason to believe he would go to bat for allowing bicycling across the bridge.