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.

It’s been well-documented that sewer grates can be hazardous to cycling. Poorly designed grates can trap cyclists front tires and cause accidents.

While I don’t recall seeing these hazardous grates in the City of Detroit, I have seen plenty of collapsed grates, missing grates, missing grates with tires stuck in hole, etc. However, there are dangerous grates on Oakland Avenue north of Manchester in Highland Park. They have raised ridges that are about 3 inches tall. These are definitely not bike friendly. I can only speculate that their purpose was to strengthen the grate while preventing parked truck tires from blocking the sewer opening. This area is directly east of Ford’s old Highland Park manufacturing complex.