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  • Detroit Works Project’s Environmental Summit on May 5th

    The Detroit Works Project is hosting a series of topic-specific meetings to continue gathering community input in the effort to re-imagine Detroit.

    Thursday, May 5th from 4pm until 8pm is the Environmental Summit which includes transportation among its many topics. It will be held at the Gleaners Food Bank (2131 Beaufait in Detroit.)

    We will discuss: air, waste, water, land, pollution, energy, zoning, green jobs, greenways, environmental justice, remediation, sustainability, energy efficiency, recycling, composting, agriculture, and more…

    Share what you are doing to make Detroit a greener city.

    Tell the City your environmental vision for Detroit.

    Learn about major issues and key opportunities.

    Bring your environmental perspective into the Detroit Works Project

    Dinner will be provided.

    If you’re really industrious, you can review the policy audits which were developed earlier in the Detroit Works Process through consultants. The City Systems – Infrastructure, Transportation, and Sustainability audit covers roads. It’s long and rather dull.

    The Landscape, Ecology, and Open Space audit does cover trails, greenways, and parks, while Land Use and Urban Form touches on roads, walkability, bike lanes, and more. The Environment, Remediation and Health audit does connect transportation with health impacts.

    There’s much data here and unfortunately it’s spread between these four large PDFs. Still, it looks like a very good starting point.

    The Detroit Environmental Summit artwork is by Bec Young. Her artwork is available on-line at justseeds.org.

  • Pointes to have public presentation on bike planning

    The below message is from Steve Roach, LMB Director for Detroit and the Pointes. Norm Cox is one of the premier non-motorized planners in the Midwest:

    Norm Cox of The Greenway Collaborative will make a presentation 7:00 p.m. May 4, 2011, Connelly Auditorium, Beaumont Hospital Grosse Pointe (468 Cadieux in Grosse Pointe, just north of Jefferson.)

    The Community is invited to hear Mr. Cox and a presentation regarding plans to implement a bike route throughout the five Pointes.

    This is your opportunity to give input, engage in dialog, and learn how to help.

  • Corktown businesses pushing the pedals

    Detroit Greencycle

    By signing up for their services, Detroit Greencycle will pick up your recyclables transport them by bike to the recycling center. They also pick up compost items for eventual use in local gardens. They currently operate in the Corktown and Woodbridge neighborhoods.

    This business fills a gap created by the lack of curbside recycling in the city of Detroit (except the two neighborhoods where it is being tested.)

    Their services are given on their web site:

    Detroit Greencycle offers curbside pick-up of recyclables and compost on a weekly ($20/month) or biweekly ($15/month) basis.  Pick-up is limited to one 18 gallon bin for recyclables and one 5 gallon compost bin. Additional bins for each are available for an additional $10/month.

    Detroit Greencycle can make deliveries of 300 lbs in weight and less from local businesses including the hardware store, grocery store, local farms, and between neighbors.

    They also have a Facebook page.

    Corktown Cycles

    According to the Corktown Cycles web site, they plan on being “the Newest Bike Shop In Detroit’s Oldest Neighborhood.”

    Services will include new and used bicycles and equipment as well as full service repair and restorations

    Our focus is to be a friendly neighborhood bike shop. We plan on offering discounts for kids, college students, and area residents.

    They are located on 14th Street just north of Michigan Avenue and I-75.

    Detroit could use more bike shops, so this will be a much welcomed addition.

  • Ribbon cut on new section of Conner Creek Greenway

    Another section of the Conner Creek Greenway was opened yesterday in Detroit on Arbor Day — a holiday for tree planting created by a J. Sterling Morton, a Michigan Wolverine from Monroe, Michigan.

    The event at Maheras Gentry Park began with a parade, music, and a long line of kids from the Detroit Merit Charter Academy. The kids were dressed in frog costumes they had made earlier. The frog theme was a nod to the parks historic condition as marshland. It was an amazing site to see.

    Following the parade, remarks were made by those who helped make this greenway possible (i.e. the funders): Karla Hall of the DTE Energy Foundation, Tony Kratofil of MDOT, and Tom Woiwode from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.

    During his remarks, Kratofil announced MDOT’s commitment to funding the next portion of the Conner Creek Greenway. That portion is along Conner Avenue from McNichols to Eight Mile. That project includes a new section of sidewalks, bike lanes, bike routes, and some landscape improvements.

    Wayne County Commissioners Tim Killeen and Bernard Parker also presented a resolution from the commission as well.

    The new sections of greenway had been mostly completed late last year. That included bike lanes from Jefferson to Maheras Gentry Park along Clairpointe and a shared-use path from the park entrance to the existing paths near the river. The bike lanes on St. Jean built earlier last year were also part of the opening celebration.

    Crain’s Detroit Business and Model D has media coverage prior to the event, while TV20 News has post-event coverage.

  • AMTRAK aiming for roll-on bicycle service by spring

    Last August, MDOT solicited comments on the State Rail Plan.  We asked cyclists to comment in favor of AMTRAK allowing roll-on bicycle service for all of its trains in Michigan. Currently AMTRAK requires bicycles to be partially disassembled and boxed.

    In the last legislative session, a rider was attached to the 2010 MDOT budget appropriation bill which said:

    For rail passenger service supported in any part through capital or operating assistance from funds appropriated in this act, the department shall work with the rail carrier to identify ways in which reasonable transport of bicycles by passengers can be accommodated.

    There are three AMTRAK lines in Michigan. Only two, the Pere Marquette (Grand Rapids to Chicago) and the Blue Water (Chicago-Lansing-Port Huron) are provided operating assistance from MDOT.

    Our concern was the Wolverine line (Chicago, Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Pontiac) would not get roll-on bicycle service.

    We spoke with an MDOT staff person yesterday. She said AMTRAK has told them all three lines will have roll-on bicycle service and they are aiming for spring.

    We asked if the bicycles would be in a separate baggage car but apparently AMTRAK is removing some seats and installing bicycle racks. We don’t know how many bikes these train will accommodate. It varies among the current AMTRAK lines, with some allowing three bikes per passenger car.

    Apparently one potential hold up is their reservation system needs to be updated.

    There are more details on AMTRAK’s onboard bicycle rack accommodations on their web site, including:

    You can reserve space for bicycles when you make a ticket reservation. We charge a fee (generally ranging from $5 to $10 depending on route and distance traveled) for reserving a space in the bike rack. If space is available, you will be issued a ticket for bike rack space. Be prepared to give this ticket to the conductor when boarding with your bicycle.

    However, you will not be able to use the onboard racks if you have a “tandem, recumbent or other unusual bikes.”

    Start planning your summer bicycle trip to Chicago now… Hopefully Amtrak will have the service up and running by then.