The date has been set for a grand opening celebration: Thursday, May 14th at 10AM.

Certainly the trail has been useable since last fall.

Keep in mind that this is only Phase I of the trail. Phase II continued the Dequindre Cut north of Gratiot to Mack Avenue.

And either the trail got a new sign along Gratiot or I haven’t been paying attention. Either way, it looks good.

Also, there are rumblings of a “Dequindre Cut East.” There is an abandoned rail corridor just east of Beaufait from Mack to the Riverfront. The Gleaner’s Community Food Bank is interested in this project as it would connect their building to the Riverwalk. This is still very much in the conceptual phase, so there are not many details to share at this time.

The 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.

Certainly the massive looming issue in Detroit is the future of our Big 3 domestic automakers.  It’s frustrating, depressing and much more.

If there’s any silver lining, this crisis might bring the region together as one.  It really does feel like Detroit vs. 49 other states.  It certainly makes the city-suburb divide look awfully trivial.

But this is a bike advocacy blog, so what does this mean for trails and greenways?

No one knows yet.  We do know that the Big 3 automakers contribute to trail development in the area.  Chrysler is a big supporter of DECC and the Conner Creek Greenway.  General Motors has put significant resources into the Riverwalk.  The Ford Motor Company is a partner in the Rouge Gateway project.

However we should note how the housing fallout was a big hit for trails.  Many of the non-profits developing trails in Detroit are also developing housing.  They rely on income from housing sales or other community development.  With the real estate market in the dumps, the income isn’t coming in like it was.  Many are struggling beyond the imaginable.

But fortunately there is still some funding available for trails.

Today the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy announced a $1 million donation from Wayne County.  It did not come from the county budget, according to County Executive Robert Ficano:

“This award to the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy represents the County’s support of the riverfront and how it positively impacts people’s lives. Through grant funds received by Wayne County for public safety and healthy living and wellness efforts, today I announce a $1 million award to the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy made possible from the county departments of Homeland Security/Emergency Management and Health and Human Services. The funds will be used to support the riverfront’s public safety initiatives and health and wellness activities on the riverwalk and its ajoining parks. While we will continue to explore ways support the riverfront project, there are no county general fund dollars being used in making this contribution.”

The Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan also gave $500,000 for work on the near east-side neighborhoods, which includes the East Riverfront and Dequindre Cut.

Some huge Detroit trail funding announcements are expected in 2009.

Stay tuned, but in the meantime, pray for good news for the Big 3.

What a busy week for bike advocacy!  There are four meetings scheduled this week.  Each meeting is an opportunity to speak up and ask for better bicycling facilities.

Tuesday: Detroit Riverwalk and Dequindre Cut

This is a public forum to discuss future programming of the East Riverfront and Dequindre Cut.  Details were posted last week.

Wednesday: Troy Trails Committee

The next Troy Trails Committee meeting is being held at 7:30pm in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.  We’ll be reviewing an upcoming presentation to City Council and get an update on the Troy’s Master Plan Request for Proposal (RFP).

Thursday: Bloomfield Hills Master Plan

A master planning public workshop is scheduled for Thursday, November 20th from 4 PM until 8 PM.  The workshop is being held at city hall, 45 East Long Lake Road.

The purpose of this public workshop is to inform local citizens of the process to update the Master Plan and gain input into areas of concern and opportunities for the future of the City to be addressed in the Master Plan.  Topics of discussion will include land use, housing density, building design, transportation systems, natural features and community facilities and services.

Improving roads for bicycling is certainly an issue within Bloomfield Hills.

Thursday: Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority

** Note that this is a date change **

We will be going before the DDA to ask that they support better biking and walking in Royal Oak, but especially in Downtown Royal Oak.  We expect to give a presentation similar to what we gave the Royal Oak City Commission.  This meeting is at 4 PM at City Hall.

Here’s information for an upcoming forum on one of Detroit’s most talked about greenways:

The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is hosting a Community Forum on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at Friends School at 5:30 p.m.   The October 28th Forum provided an update on the construction of the Dequindre Cut, the Conservancy’s role in the future of the Dequindre Cut and an update on the East Riverfront.