m-bike.org

Author: Todd Scott

  • ACTION ALERT: Oakland County Complete Streets

    As we mentioned last week, Oakland County Commissioners Dave Woodward (Royal Oak) and Craig Covey (Ferndale) were introducing a Complete Streets resolution. That resolution was passed out of committee on a 5-4 vote and now goes before the entire commission for a vote this Thursday.

    The entire resolution is on Commissioner Covey’s web site, but the resolution’s actions are:

    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby declares its support for Complete Streets and requests the Road Commission of Oakland County (RCOC) adopt a Complete Streets into its strategic planning process.

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby requests the Road Commission of Oakland County to develop a Non-motorized Transportation Plan that will include, at a minimum, accommodations for accessibility, sidewalks, curb ramps and cuts, trails and pathways, signage, bike lanes, and shall incorporate principles of Complete Streets and maximize walkable and bikeable streets within Oakland County.

    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby requests the Road Commission for Oakland County plan for, design, and construct all transportation improvement projects, both new and retrofit activities, to provide appropriate accommodations for bicyclists,

    Oakland County residents take action

    While there is some optimism this resolution will pass with all Democrats and a handful of Republicans on board. However, those R votes could disappear. We need to make sure they don’t.

    We need residents to contact their commissioner and voice your support for the Complete Streets resolution before the Thursday vote. This is especially important for those with Republican commissioners.

    Also, in case you missed it, the Ferndale Patch ran an article on Complete Streets last week.

     

  • Motor vehicle parking restrictions in Southwest Detroit

    The below alert from the Southwest Detroit Business Association is being passed along to show the size and comprehensive network of bike lanes that are being installed throughout Southwest Detroit:

    There will be no parking today (Thursday, August 11. 2011) along the following streets to allow for the construction of the bike lanes:

    • 14th St / Train Station to Bagley
    • W. Grand / Toledo to Vernor
    • MLK Blvd / Rosa Parks to 14thLawton to the East
    • Washash to Rosa Parks
    • Vernor E. All
    • Vernor W. All
    • Rosa Parks/Bagley (southbound)
    • I-75 to Elm St
    • Layfayette / Brooklyn to 10th St
    • 10th to Trumbull
    • Bagley / Rosa Parks to 14th St.

    Construction will begin at 8:00 AM and should be completed as soon as possible. A police enforced parking ban will be in effect during this time. When constructed is completed, the parking ban will be lifted. Please make the appropriate arrangements to prevent your vehicles from being ticketed and facilitate the construction of the bike lanes.

    This project is part of the Southwest Detroit Greenway that will follow West Vernor from Patton Park into Mexicantown and Corktown. The construction of these bike routes is a great investment in Southwest Detroit, enjoy them!

  • Detroit safety projects to include bike lanes “where possible”

    Many of the bike lanes installed or currently being installed in the city of Detroit are the result of local community development organizations (CDO). These CDOs have found private funding to match MDOT transportation enhancement grants.

    More recently, the city of Detroit has been championing bike lane projects funded through MDOT safety grants. These grants are available for roads having high levels of crashes, something Detroit has plenty of.

    For 2011, the city received funding for a mile of West Vernor (Lansing Road to Waterman) in Southwest Detroit. That project will be completed this year and it includes a couple miles of bike lanes.

    Detroit has gotten more ambitious for 2012. The city received six MDOT safety grants for these four road corridors:

    • Central Ave. from West Vernor to McGraw
    • East 7 Mile from the I-75 Service Drive to Gratiot
    • West Chicago from Spinozza to just west Monica
    • Dix from Waterman to Woodmere

    The city has said they will put bike lanes on these road corridors wherever it is possible. For example, parts of Central are too narrow for bike lanes, so other options will be considered.

    Overall, the city engineers recognize that adding bike lanes as well as other Complete Street designs improve overall safety for all road users.

    The U.S. DOT’s BIKESAFE web site agrees:

    Bike lanes have been found to provide more consistent separation between bicyclists and passing motorists than shared travel lanes. The presence of the bike lane stripe has also been shown from research to result in fewer erratic motor vehicle driver maneuvers, more predictable bicyclist riding behavior, and enhanced comfort levels for both motorists and bicyclists. The extra space created for bicyclists is also a benefit on congested roadways where bicyclists may be able to pass motor vehicles on the right.

    Safety in Numbers

    In addition, studies show bike lanes encourage more people to ride. One survey of Detroit residents found that:

    • Majority of respondents felt uncomfortable riding a bike on a major road without bike lanes and through areas with numerous vacant buildings.
    • 37% of respondents would be comfortable bicycling on a major roadway if a bike lane was present.

    And, the more bicyclists on the road, the safer it is for everyone.

    “It’s a positive effect but some people are surprised that injury rates don’t go up at the same rate of increases in cycling,” says Sydney University’s Dr Chris Rissel, co-author of a 2008 research report on cycling.

    “It appears that motorists adjust their behaviour in the presence of increasing numbers of people bicycling because they expect or experience more people cycling. Also, rising cycling rates mean motorists are more likely to be cyclists, and therefore be more conscious of, and sympathetic towards, cyclists.”

    Leading the region

    So while some road agencies in Metro Detroit are just starting to discuss bike lanes, the city is pursing safety funding and putting paint on the road. Though the City may not have a Complete Streets ordinance or resolution (yet!), it is beginning to implement Complete Street designs.

  • Grown Men on Bikes (GMOB)

    Photo by Kelly Tucker / Facebook

    This has to be one of the best bike club names ever: GMOB, which stands for Grown Men on Bikes.

    Their Facebook page has a great description for the group, too.

    We don’t ride bikes cause we have too. We ride bikes cause we love too. We love to network and promote bike riding in the Metro Detroit area and be a positive force in the rebirth of the great city of Detroit!

    GMOB joins the East Side Riders and Downriver Highriders among the recently formed riding clubs in Detroit — a very welcomed sign that bicycling is growing organically throughout the city.

     

  • Oakland County Complete Streets resolution & meeting

    ** Note that the Complete Streets meeting is Tuesday, August 9th **

    Oakland County Commissioners David Woodward and Craig Covey are introducing a Complete Streets resolution tomorrow, Monday, August 8th.

    From the resolution:

    “…increasing active transportation (e.g. walking, bicycling, public transportation) offers the potential for improved public health, economic development, a cleaner environment, reduced transportation costs, enhanced community connections, social equity, and more livable communities. ‘Complete Streets’ can also reduce traffic congestion and reliance on foreign oil.”

    No, Oakland County Government does not own, build or manage roads. That is done by the Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC), a completely separate county government operation for just roads.

    (In Michigan, county governments by default can have health departments, cemeteries, courts, airports, parks and more – but they can’t have a road department. Roads are handled by a separate county government called a road commission. In order to consolidate these two county governments, state law needs to be changed and a county needs to become chartered — neither are easy.)

    However, Oakland County government does have some pull over the RCOC. They do give them money and every two years they appoint a road commissioner.

    We’ve had discussions with Commissioner Woodward over the past few years about a Complete Streets resolution, including making it a prerequisite for those county funds.

    We’ve also brought up Complete Streets during the most recent road commissioner appointment process. That seemed to gain traction among the Democratic minority. It will be interesting to see whether Monday’s resolution gets votes from the Republican majority. There’s some discussion that it will.

    It also is worth mentioning that we’ve been meeting with the RCOC regarding Complete Streets issues, including bike accommodations. It’s too early to say how that will play out. Current RCOC policy is to not accommodate bicycles on county roads, i.e. no bike lanes, no sharrows, no four-foot paved shoulders.

    Complete Streets public meeting in Ferndale

    On Tuesday, August 9th both Woodward and Covey are speaking in Ferndale about their resolution. This free meeting is at 6:30 PM at the Ferndale Public Library.

    There more event information on Facebook.