There’s been some very impressive planning underway that could eventually improve biking and walking in Detroit’s greater riverfront east.

Improve? Transform might be a better word.

This plan includes a little of everything from bike lanes to greenways to bicycle boulevards. The highlight might be a plan to extend the Detroit RiverWalk east to the Grosse Pointe Park border.

Want to learn more? On Saturday, March 5th from 10am until noon, everyone has the opportunity to review the current plan at the Northeast Guidance Center (2900 Conner at Charlevoix.) The meeting details are below.

We should also mention that a survey was completed prior to much of this planning.  The results clearly show an “if you build, they will use it” attitude from the area’s residents.:

• 85% of the respondents who do NOT walk regularly said they would be more inclined to do so if they had easy access to a greenway.
• 80% of the respondents who do NOT ride a bicycle regularly said they would be more inclined to do so if they had easy access to a greenway.
• 37% of respondents would be comfortable bicycling on a major roadway if a bike lane was present.

Given these very positive numbers, it seems one could readily justify the investment in building this walking and biking network.

So whether you live in this study area, ride through it, or are just interested, you should attend the meeting on the 5th.

More event details from the event flyer:

You are cordially invited to an open house to learn about the GREEN Task Force plan for a network of greenways throughout our lower eastside district (the Greater Riverfront East).

Greenways are paths (like the Dequindre Cut) designed for walkers, bicyclists, and others who want to get from here to there without using a car. Greenways can offer places for exercise; they can promote retail and other commercial growth along their routes; and they can forge healthy links between people and neighborhoods in different parts of the city.

In the Fall of 2010, many of you participated in surveys and conversations that helped us better understand how greenways could improve our community. Many of you also attended hands-on workshops that helped us map out where greenways could go throughout the lower eastside.

Now the GREEN Task Force is excited to be able to share with you the results of your input. We hope you will join us to view illustrations of the planned greenway routes and tell us which ones are your favorites. There will also be a short presentation that will give you an overview of the entire greenways planning project.

Outline

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Registration and Mingle
10:30 AM – 10:45 AM Presentation
10:45 AM – 11:45 AM View route illustrations and pick your favorites
11:45 AM – 12:00 Noon Wrap-Up

Refreshments will be served. Please let us know by Thursday, March 3 if you will be attending. Contact us by phone (313 444-0062) or email (thevillagesofdetroit@gmail.com).

The Detroit Works Project — the city’s plan for re-imagining itself — has scheduled the next series of public meetings.

But before talking about those, let’s admire this graphic taken from the front page of the Detroit Works web site. No, we didn’t create that graphic nor did we bribe anyone.

And, the Detroit Works team has summarized the comments given during the first round of public meetings.

If you thought Detroiters were indifferent about their future, you’d be wrong. The first five meetings had 4,500 people and produced 1,916 verbal comments and 1,451 comment cards.

Our favorite statistic?

There were many comments on transportation with 42% of those expressing a desire for light rail and 31% making suggestions around improvements for bicycles.

Apparently Detroiters aren’t indifferent about their bicycling infrastructure either!

The next series of public meetings are listed on the Detroit Works web site. They run from January 27th through February 16th. Unlike the first meetings, these are geographically based. They are asking that you attend the meeting that is closest and most convenient to you. Note that space is limited.

The Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance has written summaries on greenways and Complete Streets for the Works Project. The plan is to distribute these summaries (and others) to those attending these upcoming meetings. Doing that should help help build community awareness.

The city of Novi has posted the initial draft of their non-motorized master plan.

The City of Novi is now poised to take its bicycle and pedestrian facilities, policies and programs to the next level. This document, funded by the Federal Energy Efficiency Block Grant program, lays out a systematic way to support non-motorized transportation.

It is anticipated that the environmental changes will result in a greater number of individuals choosing walking and bicycling as their preferred mode of transportation for many local trips. These choices will lead to healthier lifestyles, improved air and water quality, and a more energy efficient and sustainable transportation system.

We haven’t had a chance to fully review the plan, but it looks very impressive so far.

This plan and more will be discussed at their Walkable Novi Committee meeting this Thursday at 6pm. The meeting is at the City of Novi Administration Building, 45175 West 10 Mile Road.

The meeting originally scheduled for 1/20/2010 has been moved back a week to January 27th.

Last week, Hamtramck City Council unanimously passed the below Complete Streets resolution.

But don’t expect the city to complete any streets in the near term. City Council is also halting all non-emergency work by their public works department as they explore the possibility of declaring bankruptcy.

Their financial issues are really a shame because they have been doing some interesting master planning. Their preliminary recommendation presentation (from July 28, 2010) included these transportation goals:

Make Hamtramck’s streets and sidewalks safer and more accessible for drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Improve right of ways to promote the city’s image, create a more pleasant public realm, and strengthen connections between neighborhoods. Create better transit connections within Hamtramck and to/from locations outside the city.

It’d be nice maker Hamtramck roads safer for all, including bicyclists and those new Chevy Volts made just down the road.

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (MDOT) COMPLETE STREETS INITIATIVE AS OUTLINED IN PUBLIC ACT 134, AND PUBLIC ACT 135, OF 2010.

WHERAS, increasing walking and bicycling offers improved health benefits for the population and more livable communities; and

WHERAS, a Complete Street is safe, comfortable, and convenient for travel by automobile, foot, bicycle, and transit regardless of age or ability, and

WHERAS, the Michigan Legislature has passed Complete Streets legislation that requires the Michigan Department of Transportation and local governments to consider all users in transportation related projects; and

WHERAS, Complete Streets support economic growth and community stability by providing accessible and efficient connections between home, school, work, recreation, and retail destinations by improving pedestrian and vehicular environments throughout communities; and

WHERAS, Complete Streets enhance safe walking and bicycling options for school-age children, in recognition of the national Safe Routes to School program; and

WHERAS, the City of Hamtramck recognizes the importance of street infrastructure and modifications such as sidewalks, crosswalks, shared use paths, bicycle lanes, signage, and accessible curb ramps, that enable safe, convenient, and comfortable travel for all users; and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, by the city council of the city of Hamtramck, Wayne County, Michigan that:

FIRST: to the extent feasible, the City of Hamtramck will incorporate Complete Streets design considerations and practices as a routine part of infrastructure and planning and implementation; and

SECOND: that the City of Hamtramck supports the continued development of the City’s Master Plan, Infrastructure Plan, and Parks and Recreation Plan, that supports the ease of use, safety, and accessibility for all users within the City of Hamtramck.

PASSED AND APPROVED BY THE  CITY COUNCIL, CITY OF HAMTRAMCK, WAYNE COUNTY, MICHIGAN THIS 9^th DAY OF NOVEMBER, 2010.

AYES: Gordon, Hassan, Jankowski, Miah, Stackpoole

NAYS: None

ABSTENTIONS: None

ABSENT: Ahmed

Streetsblog released this engaging video from Portland, Oregon that shows their neighborhood greenways – something that might work on many streets in Metro Detroit.

As far as we know, it’s not a greenway design we’ve seen around here yet. There are some ongoing planning efforts in the city of Detroit that may incorporate these designs on some key residential streets.

The video also shows Portland’s Green Streets with stormwater management, wayfinding and some interesting intersection treatments.

Portland’s Bike Boulevards Become Neighborhood Greenways from Streetfilms on Vimeo.