The following was issued by MDOT Director Kirk Steudle and sent to all MDOT employees on August 5th, 2010:

“Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful, it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful, it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident, it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.”
– King Whitney Jr., 1967

These words about change are as true today as they were in 1967. On Aug. 1, Gov. Granholm signed into law Complete Streets legislation to advance cooperation and coordination among transportation and local governmental agencies: Public Act 135, which amends Public Act 51 of 1951 governing the expenditure of state transportation funding; and Public Act 134, which amends the Michigan Planning Enabling Act. While it might be tempting to attribute the passage of these bills to pressure from one group or another, it is worth noting that both bills passed the Michigan House and Senate by wide margins: 85-21 and 31-0, respectively.

Here is a summary of the changes to Act 51 under PA 135:

Revisions to Act 51, Section 10(k)

• Requires counties, cities, villages, and MDOT to consult with one another when planning a nonmotorized project affecting a transportation facility that belongs to the other.
• Requires Section 10(k) improvements meet accepted practices or established best practices.
• Requires Act 51 agencies to notify one another when their five-year nonmotorized programs are finalized.

New Act 51 Section 10(p)

• Requires the State Transportation Commission (STC), within two years, to adopt a Complete Streets policy for MDOT, and to develop model Complete Streets policies for use by others.
• Requires state and local agencies to consult and agree on how to address Complete Streets before submitting the Five-Year Program to the STC (exempts anything in an approved multi-year capital plan approved before July 1).
• Allows MDOT to provide technical assistance and coordination to local agencies in the development and implementation of their policies.
• Requires MDOT to share expertise in nonmotorized and multi-modal planning in the development of projects within municipal boundaries (“municipal” refers to townships, counties, cities or villages – so just about anywhere).
• Allows agencies to enter into agreements with one another to provide maintenance for projects constructed to implement a Complete Streets policy.
• Creates a Complete Streets Advisory Council within MDOT, appointed by the governor, to advise the STC and local agencies in the implementation of Complete Streets.

Amendments to the Michigan Planning Enabling Act

• Modifies the definition of “streets” to specifically include all legal users.
• Expands the elements that may be included in a master plan to encompass all transportation systems that move people and goods.
• Specifies that transportation improvements identified in a plan are appropriate to the context of the community and considers all legal users of the public right of way.
• The means for implementing transportation elements of the master plan in cooperation with applicable county road commission or MDOT.

The new laws will influence how we work with virtually every township, county, city, and village in the state. In the coming weeks, I will convene an interdisciplinary work group within MDOT to examine how the new law will affect our processes and resources. If you are asked to participate, I ask that you embrace it as an opportunity to improve how we work with our partners to deliver transportation services in Michigan.

The transportation world is changing. We can face this change fearfully, or with confidence. In my five years as director, we have faced many challenges, adapted to change, and are a better organization for doing so. I am confident we can rise to the challenge of implementing the new Complete Streets law — in letter and spirit — and emerge a stronger organization, and ultimately, a better state

Tom Page from Detroit Synergy passed long this interesting news item:

The Detroit Institute of Arts/Detroit Film Theatre has implemented free valet parking for bicycles on Fridays. The bike racks, with a museum staffer present, are located in front of the courtyard on the John R. side.

[And that explains why we saw a tandem ride up to the DFT last night!]

Another exciting bicycling event in Ferndale:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:

Douglas Christie
248.709.9301
gofeetdc@gmail.com
Ferndale Environmental Sustainability Commission – Chair

Ferndale Complete Streets and Bicycle Commuting 101

Please join avid bicyclist and Ferndale City Council Member, Melanie Piana when she speaks about what the State & National Complete Streets Coalition is, and how the City of Ferndale is looking to become a leader in building roadways that move people not just automobiles. Plus Continental Bike Shop will be doing a “bicycle commuting 101” workshop…and afterwards feel free to join us on a mini bicycle commute around Ferndale!

The Ferndale Environmental Sustainability Commission’s Green Tuesday seminars are aimed at providing Ferndale residents with the information they need to become even better stewards of the environment. The seminars will be held the second Tuesday of the month at the Kulick Community Center in Ferndale (1201 Livernois St.) from 6:30pm-8:00pm. The seminars are FREE and open to the public (you need not be a Ferndale resident to attend).

WHAT: Ferndale Green Tuesday Seminar: Ferndale Complete Streets and Bicycle Commuting 101

WHO: Ferndale Environmental Sustainability Commission, Continental Bike Shop and guest speaker – Ferndale City Council Member Melanie Piana

WHEN: Tuesday, August 10th from 6:30pm-8:00pm + bicycle ride to immediately follow – a light and helmet is required

WHERE: Kulick Community Center, 1201 Livernois St., Ferndale, MI

Wolverine cyclist and city planner Doug Hedges recently announced that “the initial meeting for the City of Royal Oak’s Non-Motorized Transportation Plan will be held at the Planning Commission’s next meeting of Tuesday, August 10, 2010, at 7:30 p.m. ”

The meeting location is Royal Oak City Hall, room 315 (on the 3rd floor) at 211 South Williams in Downtown Royal Oak.

Here is the outline of the presentation:

Royal Oak cyclist Tom Regan sent an email with the following note:

We will help ourselves a lot if we have a very large turnout at this first meeting, to show city planning commission members that Royal Oak needs to be made safer and more inviting to cyclists and pedestrians. The city planning commission will ultimately recommend policy changes to the city commission.

If you are able please spread the word any way you can.

Keep in mind that the presentation is not the first item on the agenda, so it won’t start right at 7:30pm.

Avalon Bakery in Detroit now sells Dequindre Cut Trail Mix Cookies (both vegan and not.)

They’re as awesome as the trail.

We haven’t determined just how many laps of the Cut you’ll need to ride in order to burn off a cookie — and maybe we won’t.