Yesterday Mayor Cockrel signed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Act. He joins a growing list of other Metro Detroit signees that have done the same, including:
- John Hieftje (Ann Arbor)
- Marilyn Stephan (Berkley)
- Daniel Paletko (Dearborn Heights)
- Robert Porter (Ferndale)
- James Ellison (Royal Oak)
- Gretchen Driskell (Saline)
- Brenda Lawrence (Southfield)
- Norma Wurmlinger (Southgate)
- Cameron Priebe (Taylor)
- David Flaisher (Township of West Bloomfield)
- Mark Steenbergh (Warren)
- Paul Schreiber (Ypsilanti)
Part of this agreement includes the following:
We will strive to meet or exceed Kyoto Protocol targets for reducing global warming pollution by taking actions in our own operations and communities such as:
2. Adopt and enforce land-use policies that reduce sprawl, preserve open space, and create compact, walkable urban communities;
3. Promote transportation options such as bicycle trails, commute trip reduction programs, incentives for car pooling and public transit;
There’s no surprise that many of these Michigan cities have taken the lead on bicycle facility development. Some have not. For those communities that have not seen the light — or made the commitment to improve biking — this may be another justification to help push them along.