Tri-Centennial State Park

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) expects Phase II to go to bid in March of 2008. They believe they are still on schedule for a June start. If everything works out and the weather cooperates, there’s a possibility of it being completed this year.

Note that Phase II is from the park’s large grassy mound to Rivard Plaza.

East Riverfront Linear Parks

On October 9th, 2007, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation (DEGC) posted the following update:

The DEGC staff is managing the design process towards the development of new park space that will extend from Jefferson Avenue to Atwater Street along Riopelle Street and the former Dequindre Avenue right of way. These “linear” parks were conceived as part of the East Riverfront District Plan, which are to serve as features that would offer views to the Detroit River, and would encourage non-motorized pathways from the Lafayette Park neighborhood down to the Riverfront Promenade and the Tricentennial State Park. During the next quarter, the DEGC staff will move the design process into further development.

Since that time some underground storage tanks were found and there may be some unforeseen cleanup issues. While the DEGC originally committed to funding that connector, this recent discovery adds some uncertainty.

Gabriel Richard Park

According to this Detroit Free Press article:

The City of Detroit is planning $1.9 million in upgrades to the now vacant Gabriel Richard Park.

City officials told city council today that half of that amount would come from federal government and half from the nonprofit Detroit Riverfront Conservancy. The Economic Development Corporation made the presentation today before council.

The city staff requests that council hold a hearing on April 9.

I’m unclear how the park is vacant. It contains is a beautiful section of the Riverwalk.

More information on Father Gabriel Richard

One of the biggest problems facing bike advocacy in Metro Detroit is the lack of organization. There are many groups and clubs, but not a single voice that can inform and mobilize grassroots cycling advocacy.

We’ve met and discussed this dilemma with the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance, League of Michigan Bicyclists, Michigan Fitness Foundation, and American Cycle and Fitness. We looked at one example of a successful regional advocacy group in Flint.

Of course, one big issue is funding.

Since the National Safe Routes to School Conference was in Dearborn at the end of 2007, we set up a meeting with Tim Blumenthal of BikesBelong. As he mentioned ahead of time, he didn’t bring his checkbook, but he still gave us ideas of where else this situation has been resolved throughout the U.S. Unfortunately there aren’t many examples.

Still, this idea is moving forward though with a more limited regional perspective. We’ll should be posting more updates in the near future.

M-DOT has just announced another $3.8 million in Transportation Enhancement funding for 11 projects across the state. These grants will be used to develop non-motorized trails, pave roadway shoulders, purchase bus bike racks and more. All projects will take place during the 2008 construction season.

Unfortunately the bus bike racks aren’t for D-DOT. Flint and Marquette requested those.

However, two of the grants are in Detroit and will undoubtedly improve biking in the City.

Here are the details from MDOT: (more…)

In Ferndale

The City is installing at least five new bike racks in Downtown. And according to this, they won’t be your run of the mill, cold gray steel variety. Ferndale is Fashionable even when it comes to bike racks!

Bicycling in Ferndale is about to become a bit easier and more secure this spring. The city plans to install at least five new artistic bike racks in the downtown area as part of its on-going effort to encourage more non-motorized traffic. The city expects to put in the bike racks in March or April. Each rack will be able to hold a handful of bikes and will be decorative and artistically unique. City officials are still determining where to put the new racks and what they will look like. Cost of the project is estimated at a few thousand dollars.

In Detroit

The City of Detroit is making some streetscape improvements downtown which are mostly covered by a Transportation Enhancements grant through MDOT. Some of those improvements include bike racks. The streets to be improved are Park Street, from Woodward to Adams Streets; Witherell, from Woodward to Adams; Adams, from Park to Witherell, Grand River Avenue, from Washington Boulevard to Broadway Avenue; and Clifford/John R., from Washington Boulevard to Broadway Avenue. (more…)

While it still needs final approval from Detroit’s City Council, it appears the biggest missing piece from the East Riverwalk is moving forward. This piece is between Mt. Elliot Park and MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle. It’s on the old Uniroyal site which is undergoing environmental cleanup.

This is a major missing Riverwalk segment because the alternative routes are currently Jefferson Avenue or Lafayette. Both are out of the way and Jefferson is not a welcoming road for many cyclists.

In conjunction with the announcement, Phase II of the Dequindre Cut design is moving forward. Phase II continues the trail north past Eastern Market and up to Mack. At Mack, the abandoned railroad is back at the street level grade.

A third bit of good news is that the Free Press printing press building on the West Riverfront is currently being demolished. That property was purchased by the Riverfront Convervancy and will help jumpstart development on the West Riverwalk. (more…)