The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund announced their recommended projects to be funded for 2010.

The Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund (MNRTF) Board of Trustees on Wednesday recommended to Governor Jennifer M. Granholm that 67 recreation projects and land acquisitions totaling $35.7 million be funded in 2010. The board this year had considered 175 applications for development and acquisition projects totaling $108.3 million, which were competitively evaluated based on scoring criteria developed by the Board.

“Our natural resources help set Michigan apart from other states, and the work of the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund has made it possible to protect and acquire some of our most scenic lands and unique natural areas,” Granholm said. “These recommendations will allow all who live in and visit our state to further enjoy Michigan’s magnificent natural and recreational areas.”

We’d recently mentioned this upcoming decision. We also didn’t understand why the Wixom/Walled Lake/Commerce Michigan Airline rail-trail project was not listed. The DNR ruled the project ineligible until it can prove it has the required matching funds. (The Trust Fund does not cover 100% of a project’s cost.) It’s expected that this project will be resubmitted for next year’s grant funding.

Here are the final recommendations for trail-related projects within the Seven-county region. (more…)

In 1969, 42 percent of students walked or bicycled to school.

In 2001, 16 percent of students between the ages of 5 and 15 walked or bicycled to or from school.  Less than half of students living within a mile of school walk or bike to school even once a week.

Is there any wonder there’s a child obesity epidemic?

The Safe Routes to School (SR2S) state and federal programs are aimed at reversing those trends.  The program pursues 5 – E’s to help get more kids walking and biking to school:  engineering, enforcement, encouragement, education and evaluation.

The good news is there’s SR2S grant money to help schools pursue this.  M-DOT is projecting over $6 million in grants for 2009.  Over 350 Michigan schools are already participating.

Tonight some of us gave a presentation to the School Board of Royal Oak about middle school science lesson plans and encouraged them to participate in this program.  It certainly seemed to many in attendance that this was a good idea.

Coincidentally, the school board meeting was held in my old (and now closed) elementary school.  I hadn’t been in the building for 25 years .  I noted that I almost always walked to school back then.

What can you do to help get your school district interested in SR2S?

Fortunately the Michigan SR2S and the National Center for SR2S are great web sites and a great place to get better acquainted with the program.  And since this program addresses student health and safety — and provides funding — it should be a relatively easy sell.

There’s also the upcoming annual statewide SR2S meeting on Monday, January 26, 2009 and it’s free.  It may be a simple “ask” to get a school representative at that meeting.

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.

Bikes Belong grant awards were recently announced.

Congratulations Flint!

This is a well-deserved nod for the regional bike efforts to make biking easier and safer in Flint. (And we’re jealous of you having sharrows — perhaps a first in Michigan.)

Five designated and aspiring Bicycle Friendly Communities will receive funds to help them make bicycling more safe, convenient and appealing places to ride.

These grants, designed to pinpoint specific needs outlined by each community in their Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) application, help pay for bike plans, technical assistance, pilot projects and innovative cycling initiatives.

Flint, Michigan
The Safe and Active Flint Coalition will receive $5,000 to improve bike safety and awareness through a Sharrow program. Flint received honorable mention in the last BFC round. They identified Sharrows—pavement markings encouraging cars and bicycles to share the road—as key to marking the first designated bike routes in the city.

(more…)

MDOT recently announced their most recent Transporation Enhancement (TE) grants. TE money comes from the federal government and it requires a local matching from the grant recipient. TE grants are a major funding source for on-road and trail development.

In conjunction to the announcement, Governor Granholm added, “Michigan’s trails are gateways to recreation and tourism opportunities that grow our economy by attracting residents and visitors alike. Not only do they provide transportation and recreation options, but they make many areas of our state more livable and desirable places to do business.” (more…)