Vacated residential lots become farms in Detroit -- the opposite of what happens in sprawling suburbs

A group called SustainLane recently ranked 50 U.S. cities for their efforts in becoming sustainable.

Detroit jumped up an impressive 12 spots to finish 31st.

Improved biking and walking certainly play a big role in boosting these sustainability rankings.  It certainly reinforces the fact that cycling advocates have so many positive reasons to push for our cause.  From safety to health, from clear air to sustainability, from kids getting to school and the high cost of fuel, there are a myriad of reasons why cities need to embrace improved biking and walking facilities.

According to SustainLane’s summary for Detroit:

America’s “Motor City” is bearing down on the sustainability throttle: the city’s green engine is heating up and has propelled it up twelve spots in SustainLane’s 2008 rankings. What’s fueling Detroit’s upswing? First and foremost, adaptive reuse of land abandoned from decades of suburban flight. Detroit boasts a thriving community garden network growing on vacant land across the city. Quality-of-life issues are a high priority for Detroit officials, who are planning for more greenways, connecting landmarks and bringing in new businesses. The city has already seen a successful transformation of its formerly-blighted riverfront into a bustling area of parks, plazas, and a five-mile recreation path. Expect to see more greening in the near future: City council president and head of the recently-formed “Green Task Force,” Kenneth V. Cockrel Jr., replaced the city’s mayor who resigned early September 2008.

SustainLane also included some short local succcess stories.  Detroit’s was of the Dequindre Cut, “It’s Pronounced De-kwin-dur.”

Photo by Marvin Shaouni

Tom Woiwode knows greenways. ?He’s been at the forefront of the movement in Metro Detroit since 2001 when he led development of the GreenWays Initiative.

At the end of August, Tom wrote a series of guest blogs covering topics from the Dequindre Cut to the Riverwalk to other trails and greenways in Metro Detroit. ?The resulting blog entries are some of the best you’ll read on trails and what they mean to the people and communities that build and use them.

Thanks to Metromode and Model D for putting these on-line. ?The photo was taken by Marvin Shaouni.

Crain’s Detroit Business has reported that the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan (CFSEM) awarded over $4 million in grants to help revitalize Detroit neighborhoods from the riverfront to the near east side.

Two of these grants are of special interest to those following trail development in Detroit.

The first is a $500,000 grant to the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy to help create recreational, fitness, cultural and educational programming.  This programming will be developed by working with local community groups, churches, schools and businesses.  It will likely be located or involve the Riverwalk and Dequindre Cut, both of which are managed by the Conservancy.

The second grant is $100,000 for the City of Detroit to begin planning a connection for “direct and safe” pedestrian access between the Dequindre Cut and Eastern Market.

Overlooking the Phase II expansion from the large grassy mound at Tri-Centennial State Park

Tri-Centennial State Park on the Detroit River is all set to expand and connect with the Riverwalk’s Rivard Plaza.  This much awaited expansion means the Detroit Riverwalk will be longer and will provide a trail connection to the Dequindre Cut.

The State Park expansion will actually have two parallel paths: one for walking and the other for biking.  This should help reduce trail bottlenecks that are often seen on the Riverwalk between the Rivard Plaza and Joe Louis Arena.

The DNR is striving for a softer trail design.  In other words, there will be more natural features and less man-made.  There will also be more interpretive and educational opportunities along this trail.

And as anyone who’s been on this property knows, it’s popular with fishermen.  The DNR plans to accomodate them as well after construction is completed. (more…)

Model D recently posted this great video on the Dequindre Cut. Tom Woiwode from the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan has been a major champion of this project from the start.

The big question is when will it be open. As of last week it was 90% to 95% completed. There are still some finishing touches to be completed. The target grand opening is October 1st.