We just received copies of minutes from last month’s Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund meeting. Typically these minutes contain discussions on Trust Find grant requests from around the state.

These minutes in particular contain discussions on three DNRE grant applications for the RiverWalk. (The city of Detroit has four additional grant requests, including one for extending the Dequindre Cut north to Mack.)

Mr. Yauk outlined the Detroit Riverfront applications that have been submitted. These are all Tier 1 acquisitions. The following acquisition projects were outlined:

10-159. Milliken State Park Acquisition (Wayne County) – Acquisition of Detroit Riverfront parcels – Atwater parcel is scheduled for housing or high-end development; Chene West parcel was a former concrete facility which is now a razed site; and Chene East parcel. Request: $20 million.

Chairperson Muchmore asked what the plans were for the Atwater parcel. Mr. Yauk responded that the plan is for high-end condos with zero lot line. If the property is successfully acquired, the DNRE plans another phased development of the open corridor on the Detroit waterfront for the park. Chairperson Muchmore wondered how much potential there was that the condominium development would actually take place. Mr. Yauk responded that Detroit is focusing on the waterfront for development. The DNRE wants to obtain these properties and capture the waterfront for future generations. It is critical for what the DNRE wants to do for downtown Detroit.

Mr. Yauk further responded that the park is 21 acres at the present time and acquiring these acquisitions would be a great improvement. There are over two million visitors to the park each year.

Chairperson Muchmore asked who owns the property. Director Humphries responded the City of Detroit, Economic Development, and they will not donate the property to the DNRE. The DNRE attempted to negotiate for this parcel at the conception of the park, but were not successful, as the city thought they could develop it.

Chairperson Muchmore was apprehensive about the city, when the DNRE is spending a lot of money to develop parks and the city has not contributed in the costs. The property values are being held up, which are less desirable properties that the city cannot do anything with.

Mr. Charters asked if the Board would be provided with a breakdown of the estimated cost of properties. Mr. Yauk responded yes, but the appraisals have not been started.

10-128, Globe Building Adventure and Discovery Center Acquisition (Wane County) – Acquisition of 10,000+ feet for an urban outdoor learning center. This would provide hands-on outdoor education opportunities. Request: $2 million.

Chairperson Muchmore asked if this would work as opposed to the Belle Isle Aquarium. Mr. Yauk responded that the Belle Isle Aquarium is a great project, but Milliken State Park gets two million visitors a year.

10-130, Detroit Riverfront Easements and Acquisitions (Wayne County) – Acquisitions to consolidate the existing Detroit Riverfront easements – 3.5 to 4 miles from Ambassador Bridge to MacArthur Bridge. Request: $5 million.

The Trust Fund makes their grant decision next month, but as we mentioned before, they have an unusually large amount of money to spend this year. That greatly increases the odds that the RiverWalk projects will be funded to some extent.

These grant requests certainly highlight the DNRE’s commitment to the RiverWalk and building greenspace in Detroit.

Metroparks investment in Detroit

Also at this meeting, the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority (HCMA) made a pitch for a trails project in their Hudson Mills Metropark.

That elicited this interesting discussion from Trust Fund board member Bob Garner regarding the HCMA’s relative lack of commitment to Detroit.

Mr. Garner mentioned that there was no presence of HCMA facilities in the City of Detroit. He wondered if there was any chance of redirecting HCMA support and funding for the Detroit Riverfront. Mr. Moilanen responded that HCMA is actively researching ways that HCMA can be more active within the City of Detroit. A couple members of HCMA sit on the board of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. HCMA did have a presence around Belle Isle with the Detroit Zoo for five years. That relationship has ended, but over the years has pursued a number of ways to be involved.

Mr. Garner feels that HCMA should have a presence in the city. He wondered if perhaps HCMA could assist in acquiring and developing one of the properties being proposed for acquisition to Milliken State Park. Mr. Moilanen responded that HCMA was very interested in acquiring the operation and ownership of Belle Isle (in early 1970s). Earlier this year, HCMA’s Board has again voiced this interest, and has researched ways to become more actively involved.

Chairperson Muchmore stated that the DNRE is looking for a partner in acquiring the Globe Building property.

It’s great to see this awareness among the Trust Fund. They’re basically telling the HCMA that they want to see some grant requests for Detroit projects. Ideas for HCMA investments have been floated in the past, including Belle Isle, Fort Wayne, the State Fairgrounds, and some Detroit greenways.

They should be investing in the state’s largest city. Detroiters are paying that HCMA millage, too.

The Spinal Column is reporting on new trail signs for the Milford Trail through the village of Milford. According to the article, these signs include a will “post a speed limit of 10 miles per hour.”

Apparently they are only follow the same rules set forth by the Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority.

Whenever a usable and designated path has been provided near a roadway, cyclists, hikers, joggers, runners and in-line skaters shall use that path and shall not use the roadway. However, the speed limit on the hike-bike trails is 10 miles per hour, so cyclists riding at faster speeds shall use the roadway.

It’s doubtful many people will observe 10 MPH limit since it’s unreasonably low and many bicycles don’t have speedometers.

So what is the better answer?

It’s probably to not set a speed limit at all. The trail signs would require bicyclists to yield to pedestrians, stay to the right, and avoid recklessness. That should cover everything.

Besides, the trail should meet the AASHTO standards which calls for a minimum design speed of 20 MPH.

Shared use paths should be designed for a selected speed that is at least as high as the preferred speed of the faster bicyclists. In general, a minimum design speed of 20 MPH should be used. Although bicyclists can travel faster that this, to do so would be inappropriate in a mixed-use setting. Design and traffic controls can be used to deter excessive speed and faster cyclists can be encouraged to use the roadway system. Lower design speeds should not be selected to artificially lower user speeds. When a downgrade exceeds 4%, or where strong prevailing tailwinds exist, a design speed of 30 MPH or more is advisable.

If the trail is designed for safe travel at 20 MPH then it doesn’t make sense posting a speed limit at half that.