MDOT’s Project List

Crain’s Detroit has posted a list of the MDOT projects on their economic stimulus list. As we reported earlier, designing and re-constructing the entire I-275 Bike Path is on their list.

Also on their list is for Michigan Avenue: Milling and resurfacing from Livernois to Rosa Parks; $10 million. Will this project include bike lanes like those planned for Corktown, just to the east? We’ll find out.

DNR Project List

Given the large backlog in DNR capital repairs and improvements, it’s not surprising to see their list is quite long. Trail-related highlights include:

• Statewide: 600 miles rail-trail surface improvements
• Proud Lake: Floating boardwalk and bridge connection for equestrian trails and the canoe launch to the Powers Unit
• Sterling State Park: Surface improvements to connect internal trail system to City of Monroe’s trail system at Elm Street
• Lakelands Trail: Nine miles of asphalt paving/aggregate equestrian trail project, and two staging areas in Pinckney Township;?6 mile asphalt paving/aggregate equestrian trail project, trail head parking in Putnam Township
• Tri-Centennial State Park: Phase III, development of the mulit-use trail corridor. (This is would extend the Riverwalk through the park and provide connection to the Dequindre Cut.)

Clinton River Trail/MTGA

Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance submitted many trail projects including two for the Clinton River Trail:

• Construct a bicycle/pedestrian bridge over Telegraph Rd. to mitigate high-traffic crossing on rail-trail
• Construct a bike/pedestrian safety island on Orchard Lake Rd. and make trail alignment perpendicular to road to provide continuity and a safe crossing between West Bloomfield Trail and Clinton River trail

New Center Council

There are a slew of interesting projects requested for Detroit’s New Center, including the New Center Bike Lane Greenway Connector Project (along Second and Third Avenues, connecting New Center to Wayne State) and a skate/BMX park.

Other Stimulus Project Requests

There are far more requests than just MDOT’s.

In fact the state just created a special website that discusses this stimulus funding, now called Michigan’s Recovery and Reinvestment Plan.

This new web site does have a list of all the requests they’ve received. Yes, there are over 17,000 requests.

That includes 167 projects from Detroit. All of Detroit’s construction-ready greenways are listed, including Conner Creek, Corktown/Mexicantown, Midtown Loop (and Canfield Connector), Southwest Detroit, and Dequindre Cut.

The entire Detroit Non-Motorized Transportation Plan implementation is on the list, which includes striping 400 miles of bike lanes. And similarly, bike lanes along Detroit’s east end of Jefferson are also listed.

A project to rebuild the City Airport hangers along Conner/Outer Drive is on the list. This is also required to make room for the Conner Creek Greenway.

Focus:HOPE has project requests, one of which calls for adding bike lanes to Oakman Boulevard in Highland Park.

The Hamtramck Trail is also on the list for Hamtramck.

Clearly not all these projects can be funded. Michigan is asking municipalities to prioritize their requests. While indications are some of these bike projects will receive funding, nothing yet is set in stone.

What other trail-related projects of interest in the list for Metro Detroit?

The differing House and Senate versions of the stimulus bill were resolved yesterday. It’s expected that the new bill will be voted on today and signed by the President on Monday.

This final bill allocates $29 billion in transportation funding. That’s about how much the federal government allocates during a normal year. How much of that goes to Michigan and how much could be spent on non-motorized facilities is apparently unknown as of now.

We do know that the MDOT Metro Region put reconstruction of the entire I-275 bikepath on their stimulus project list. How huge would that be?

The Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance and other advocates have been working with the City of Detroit to get non-motorized projects in the city’s stimulus list. Dan Cherrin, Mayor Cockrel’s spokesman told the the Michigan Messenger that the city wants to see “bike paths” built with stimulus money. Bike paths could include many of Detroit’s greenway projects as well as the non-motorized plan’s 400-mile bike lane network.

There are also other local bike and trail related projects in the stimulus wish list compiled by the Michigan Municipal League:

• Birmingham – Completion of a renovation of partially existing trail network, $2 million
• Canton – Construction of five pedestrian bridges over the Rouge River providing interconnection of community pathway, $700,000
• Madison Heights – Red Oaks Bikepath, $600,000
• Novi – Improvement of I-275 non-motorized pathway from I696 to Wayne Co, $ 467,000
• Novi – New bike path along M-5 from south of 12 Mile Rd to Pontiac Trail, $ 1,250,000
• Rochester – Paint Creek Trail, $ 300,000
• Royal Oak – Non-Motorized Tranportation Plan, $40,000

What’s not clear is how Novi’s two requests fit with MDOT’s for the I-275 bikepath.

We should know more about what gets funded as this process continues to lumber along.

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.

Much has changed since last summer.  Al Fields, our main go-to guy for bike issues within the May0r’s Office left for a job at DTE.   We struggled to find a friendly ear to help us move things forward.

The change in Mayors solved that problem.  Not only is Mayor Cockrel pushing a green agenda, he’s a cyclist.

And near the end of last year he created the Office of Energy and Sustainability.  One of their key initiatives?

Promote implementation of the city of Detroit’s master plan, which will include the non-motorized plan, and many other pedestrian friendly initiatives, bike paths, parks, etc.

And more positive news?  The City of Detroit has completed the grant application for 16 miles of bike lanes and trails for Corktown.

With the upcoming mayoral primary election this month, the Metro Times has interviewed many of the candidates.  It was somewhat of a surprise seeing biking mentioned by a couple candidates.

• Before November, candidate Nicholas Hood III promises to “establish a series of free ‘healthy activities’ for the city such as city wide bike ride / walk with the mayor.”
• To reduce our dependence on foreign oil, candidate Sharon McPhail proposes “bike Lanes on all main roads with a system of high level fines for anyone found driving in them.”

Much has changed.

The Michigan Recreation and Parks Association is having another trails forum on Tuesday, February 3rd in Dearborn.

A list of the trail forum sessions is on-line.

The fee for those already attending the conference is $65.  For those just attending the trails forum, the fee is $105.

I will be there giving the presentation Building Urban Trails and Greenways with a collaborative effort in Detroit.

From the MRPA:

The MRPA Trails Greenways and Blueways Committee presents the 2nd state-wide trails forum.

The day long forum will consist of several case studies of successful trails. Presenters will include information specific to their trail on planning, construction and programming trails. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about the successes and flaws in an educational format. Case studies include trail systems of Grand Rapids, Grosse Ille, Heart of Michigan, Detroit, Columbus, and others.

The lunch event will afford networking with trail experts.

The invited keynotes speaker of the forum is Tim O’Brien, former Vice President, Ford Motor Company. As deputy chief of staff at Ford, Mr. O’Brien was instrumental in Ford’s initiative of integrating sustainability into all aspects of its business strategy. Mr. O’Brien was the Ford Motor Company liaison in the Rouge Gateway Partnership. This public/private stakeholder group developed the Rouge Gateway Master Plan and Greenway. He championed the revitalization of the Rouge Center with its environmentally responsible manufacturing system and the largest green roof in North America. Mr. O’Brien is now an independent consultant specializing in “environmental mediation”.

Please join the MRPA Trails, Greenways and Blueways Committee for this day long forum of education and networking.