It’s only three blocks long, but it connects the Dequindre Cut to Milliken State Park and the Detroit RiverWalk.

And it’s a beautiful three blocks.

Today, Detroit Mayor Dave Bing and others cut ribbons on both ends of the trail to mark the official opening of the Dequindre Trail Extension.

The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy also unveiled their new banners along the Dequindre Trail and Cut. Those banners were designed by local school children and reflect a series of themes, such as “play”, “grow”, and “inspire.”

Below are photos taken from various projects around Detroit that are key components to a more bike friendly city.

Also, M-Live/Associated Press has published a more thorough story on the Midtown Loop, which is set to break ground this Thursday.

Construction starts next week on the Midtown Greenway, which by the fall will be an improved route for pedestrians and bicyclists around Detroit’s Cultural Center area and Wayne State University’s campus.

It’s the first part of a four-phase project that by 2012 is expected to link the area with Eastern Market and the Detroit riverfront. It will widen walkways, as well as add landscaping, bike racks, benches and small park areas.

“We wanted to create a more walkable district … and to beautify the neighborhood and to really help spur on more economic development,” Susan Mosey, president of the University Cultural Center Association, which is spearheading the project, said Friday.

Read the entire article

Here are nine bike- or trail-related Detroit projects scheduled for design, construction and/or completion in 2010.

9. Bus racks on DDOT buses

SMART buses already have racks and DDOT says their fleet should have them by the spring — or so we’ve been told.

8. Milliken State Park

Okay, technically this was opened in December, but given the weather, not many may know about this RiverWalk connection. One key is it brings the RiverWalk trail much closer to the Dequindre Cut. The DNR has already received some funding to continue the pathway around the large grassy mound.

7. Dequindre Cut Trail Extension

Construction is underway on this trail extension which connects the existing Dequindre Cut to Atwater and Milliken State Park. Construction should be completed by the fall.

6. Bagley Street Pedestrian Bridge

This critical non-motorized bridge over I-75 reconnects Bagley Street in Mexicantown. While the bridge appears complete, the ramps were not the last we’d seen them. We expect the construction to be completed early in 2010.

5. Anthony Wayne Drive/Third Avenue

Anthony Wayne Drive through the Wayne State Campus is being reconfigured to add more on-street parking and bike lanes.

4. Second Avenue

New Center Council is looking at reconfiguring Second Avenue between Grand Boulevard and the Wayne State Campus. It’s expected that the new configuration will become two-way with either bike lanes or shared-lanes.

3. Conner Creek Greenway

Two miles of this greenway are already completed near the city airport. More segments should be constructed this summer, including bike lanes along St. Jean between Mack and Jeffererson. Clairpointe from Jefferson to Maheras Gentry Park will also get bike lanes. A third segment along the Mt. Olivet cemetery and continuing north to Eight Mile is becoming ready to go as well.

2. Midtown Loop (Phase I)

Construction of the first mile of this new greenway should begin this spring along Kirby and John R. Phase II will complete the rectangular route along Canfield and Cass.

1. Corktown/Mexicantown Greenlink

Construction is expected to begin this year. The end product will be 16 miles of bikes routes and bike lanes throughout the Corktown and Mexicantown neighborhoods.

The city of Detroit currently has about 7 miles of bike lanes, nearly all of which are on Belle Isle. That number should break 40 miles by the end of the year.

There are two other MDOT road projects that should have bike lanes but MDOT is providing flimsey excuses to not do so. Advocates are still pushing MDOT on those and if MDOT does the right thing, Detroit would surpass Ann Arbor’s bike lane mileage.

This is long-awaited good news from the DNR.

Dec. 3, 2009

Contacts: Eric Cowing 734-289-2715 or Mary Dettloff 517-335-3014

The Department of Natural Resources announced that the William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor is now officially open to the public.

Phase II development of the park is complete and the construction fences have been removed. Phase II development includes an innovative storm water management design that establishes a wetland environment and serves as a natural water filtration system for storm water run-off from the park and future nearby development properties. Energy efficient LED lighting and plantings native to southeastern Michigan were also included in the Phase II developments.

William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor is 31 acres in size and is located on a reclaimed brownfield that had been impacted by many decades of industrial use. Coastal wetlands are an important part of the Detroit River ecosystem as they provide habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife. Ninety-seven percent of the native coastal wetlands along the river have been lost to development, making the wetlands an imperative, eco-friendly and educational addition to the riverfront.

“I encourage visitors to come see the wetlands and, if you enjoy fishing, toss in a line along ‘Anglers Avenue’ at the river’s edge,” said Ron Olson, chief of the DNR’s Parks and Recreation Division. “Park visitors will find fishing opportunities on the Detroit River, quiet seating at the Peter Stroh Memorial, two picnic pavilions, an historic dry dock area, the wetlands complex, four learning stations set up throughout the park, and accessible bicycle and pedestrian trails that connect to the Detroit RiverWalk. Also keep an eye out for new residents in the wetlands. Geese, hawks, pheasants, muskrats, and foxes have already been reported in the area.”

The public harbor has 52 slips for transient and seasonal boaters, and reservations can be made on-line at www.midnrreservations.com, or by calling the DNR central reservation system at 1-800-447-2757. The park is an anchor to the Detroit RiverWalk development and will soon include a trailhead for the Dequindre Cut Trail Greenway to connect the riverfront to the Eastern Market. A dedication ceremony for the William G. Milliken State Park and Harbor (formerly the Tri-Centennial State Park and Harbor) was held on Oct. 22, to officially rename the park in honor of the longest-serving Governor in Michigan history.

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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…)