From the DNR:

The Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Division cordially invites you to participate in a Public Workshop on Wednesday, January 14, 2009.

We Need Your Help Planning the Recreation Design and Programming for Tri-Centennial State Park and Harbor.

Tri-Centennial State Park and Harbor, located on the Detroit River between Rivard and St. Aubin Streets, is a work in progress. We need your help to complete this park’s recreation plan! Please join the community for a two hour workshop to help decide the future recreation development of Michigan’s only urban state park. Come to share your ideas for this state park.

Where?

Christ Church of Detroit, Ledyard Hall
960 E. Jefferson (Use the Woodbridge St. entrance)
Detroit, MI 48207

When?

Wednesday, January 14, 2009 (Alternate date in case of severe weather is January 21). Choose the time option that works best for you!

• Option 1: 3– 5 p.m.
• Option 2: 7– 9 p.m.

Please R.S.V.P. by January 6, 2009, either by email at SenkoL1@michigan.gov, or phone at 517-373-9900. Seating is limited, so be sure to R.S.V.P. and reserve your opportunity to participate!

Group organizations/clubs are requested to limit their member participation to two (2) representatives, to allow as many organizations and individuals to participate as possible. If you cannot attend, you can still share your comments by sending them to: DNR-Tri-Centennial@michigan.gov.

Light refreshments will be provided.

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.

These photos are from the Michigan DNR and were taken last week. Phase II of Tri-Centennial State Park is coming along.  It’s going to be a great addition to the Detroit Riverwalk.

According to the DNR, this construction is very dependent on the weather, but they are hoping to get many of the key elements completed before winter really hits.

You can see in some of the photos where sand is being placed along the bottom of the wetland area.  This will be the base for the clay liner, which should hopefully be installed soon.  A layer of top soil will be placed on top of the clay liner, preferably before winter really sets in.

The state park construction is expected to be completed by Fall 2009.

Although they’re not required at Tri-Centennial, keep in mind that buying motor vehicle passes does support our state parks — and they make great gifts.

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.

The Metro Times recently published their Best Of awards.  Detroit trails and bicycling walked away with a number of awards.

Perhaps the most unexpected was the award for Next best thing to light rail for Detroit.  The winner was the Detroit non-motorized transportation master plan.

Working quietly last month, Detroit City Council heard and approved the Detroit Non-Motorized Transportation Master Plan. That sounds deathly dull, but it’s actually exciting news for the pedalists among us. Though the state had vowed to commit funds to cycling initiatives in Detroit, and Detroit’s Traffic Engineering Department had signed off on the endeavor, the plan had never been brought before council for its approval — something MDOT needed before it would help move things forward. The plan ought to get cyclists pumped: It will track cycling destinations across Detroit with an eye to connecting them with a network of bike trails, lanes and greenways, calling for as many as 400 miles of bike lanes across the city. The plan’s organizers believe lanes could be painted down during normal MDOT road maintenance. And for groups wanting bike lanes in their neck of the woods, working in tandem with the city means it won’t be the uphill slog it used to be.

Wow!

Here are the rest of the awards.

Metro Times People’s Poll

BEST BICYCLING PATH OR TRAIL
Dequindre Cut

BEST PLACE TO ADD BICYCLING PATH OR TRAIL
Woodward Avenue

BEST MOUNTAIN BIKING
Pontiac Recreation Area

BEST ROAD TO PRETEND YOU’RE LANCE ARMSTRONG
Hines Drive

BEST DETROIT RIVERFRONT ATTRACTION
RiverWalk

Read more about each People Poll winner at the Metro Times.

Metro Times Staff Picks

DETROIT’S BEST STEP FORWARD
Detroit’s RiverWalk

BEST WAY TO SUPPORT RIVERWALK
Buy a brick

NEXT BEST THING TO LIGHT RAIL FOR DETROIT
City Bicycling Plan

BEST PROJECT OF 2008 WE’RE STILL WAITING TO BE FINISHED
Dequindre Cut Bicycle Path

BEST URBAN GETAWAY
University of Michigan-Dearborn natural area (and Rouge Gateway Trail)

Read more about the Staff Pick’s at the Metro Times.