Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know Google has added bicycle directions to Google Maps.

And, when you’re looking at their map, you can turn on the bicycling information by hovering over the “More…” button. The bicycle facilities that show up (e.g. bike lanes, bike routes) are given priority when giving directions.

One problem is Google thinks there are bicycle facilities where they are none.

For example, you’ll see a dark green line show up on the east side of Woodward around 12 Mile Road (as of this morning or the attached picture.) It’s about 50 feet east of Woodward, roughly where parts of an alleyway exists — and that’s not something they should be routing us on.

After this showed up on some bicycle routing we made on Tuesday, we clicked on Google’s Report a Problem link. We selected the bad routing portion from the drop down menu and said, “There is no road or bicycle facility to turn on to.” We quickly received a confirmation email.

This morning we received this response:

Your Google Maps problem report has been reviewed, and you were right! We’ll update the map soon and email you when you can see the change.

In our opinion, less than three business days is a decent turnaround time for investigating this issue. We’ll see how soon they update their base map.

There are other non-existent or improper (e.g. sidewalk) bicycle facilities throughout this area. Clearly Google is relying on similar efforts from many people (i.e. crowdsourcing) to improve their bicycle routing.

According to a report on myFoxdetroit.com, a local taxi driver hit a young cyclist in Melvindale.

Ten-year-old Madeline Gomez was just doing what kids do when it’s nice outside; riding her bike. Out of nowhere a taxi hit her, knocking her to the ground and knocking out her teeth.

A decent person would stop, but that cabbie just kept on driving.

The cab driver has not yet been caught.

She told the reporter “It’ll be a long time before she can think about even riding her bike again.” How sad.

We wish young Madeline a quick recovery.

Green Alley construction begins

Model D is provides a significant amount of Detroit biking coverage. Perhaps due to May being bike month, they’ve got even more stories, including this one on Midtown’s Green Alley.

This is Detroit’s first green alley, and like most all things green, it caters to cyclists.

The alley will consist of native plantings and a 6-foot-wide pedestrian and bike pathway constructed of reclaimed historic brick framed by permeable pavement — which ensures emergency vehicle access. It is lit by induction lights, which are more efficient than LED and last for 25 years. “I hope one day to be have to climb up there and change a bulb!” says Tom.

The alley will provide a connection to the Motor City Brewing Works and include bike racks.

Detroit Critical Mass

Here’s a little video of the April 2010 Critical Mass ride in Detroit. Isn’t it ironic that the Motor City’s ride deals with fewer cars than perhaps all other citys’? (via Model D)

Michigan’s Top Five Bike Trails

This is part of a story from Metro Parent magazine’s May issue. This article lists great trails that the entire family can enjoy.

Bike Tent City registration now open

The U.S. Social Forum (USSF) is coming to Detroit this June. Biking is a big part of this event. People from around the U.S. are biking to Motown through the BikeIt project. Registration for their Tent Bike City is now open.

Bike Trailer Building Workshop

On a related note, the Hub of Detroit is hosting a trailer building workshop this Saturday.

When: May 15th from 3:30pm-7pm
Where: Back Alley Bikes space (entrance in alley behind of The Hub of Detroit)
What: The goal of the evening is to use wood and recycled bicycle parts to make simple bicycle cargo trailers. The trailers built will be used to pick up waste during the forum and will be a part of environmental management efforts reduce the ecological footprint of the USSF and beyond!

If you’re interested in volunteering at the Hub, their next volunteer orientation meeting is June 2nd at 6pm.

Vote for a Detroit Bike Video

Bicycle magazine’s video contest has a Detroit-themed entry named Catalyst. Voting ends on June 6th, 2010.

Fort Street Construction in Detroit

Yes, Fort Street in Southwest Detroit is being reconstucted. Yes, the Detroit Non-Motorized Plan calls for bike lanes on this road. Yes, the road is six-lanes but the vehicular traffic levels only require two. Yes, this road would likely be part of the U.S. Bicycle Route 25 through Detroit.

No, MDOT did not include bike lanes in the project.

Why? No reasonable answers have been given so far. MTGA and others are continuing to discuss this with MDOT. There’s no reason why this shouldn’t be a four-lane road with buffered bike lanes.

Vandals mar new pedestrian bridge in Detroit

The Detroit News is reporting on some vandalism which has already occurred on our recently opened bike/ped bridge in Mexicantown.

Less than a day after it opened, the Mexicantown Bagley Avenue Pedestrian Bridge was vandalized, Michigan Department of Transportation officials said.

Numerous individuals have “tagged” the $5 million bridge with spray paint and used knives to carve into a wooden bench in the middle of the span. Others signed their names with pens and magic markers on the bench, officials said.

In fact, an MDOT employee’s video camera caught one woman as she used a colored pen to scrawl on a bench in the middle of the 400-foot-long bridge.

“Yes, it was me,” said Oneita Jackson, a copy editor at the Detroit Free Press and author of Sunday’s “O Street”?blog.

Unbelievably pathetic.

10 tips for downsizing Detroit

Free Press Business Writer John Gallagher lists tips for rightsizing Detroit. He saved the best for last.

10. Use greening strategies to reinvent Detroit.

With so much excess land available, the city has the option to become a much more earth-friendly, environmentally sustainable place. Use the vacancy to lace the city with greenways, bicycle lanes, nature trails, pocket parks, urban farms and wildlife habitats.

Michigan lawmaker plans Arizona-like immigration bill

One state legislator is intent on stopping the illegal inflow of Canadians into Michigan according to a Free Press article.

A Michigan lawmaker believes the state’s law enforcement officers need the authority to arrest illegal immigrants and is drafting legislation similar to Arizona’s new immigration law.

Rep. Kim Meltzer, R-Clinton Township, said her bill would allow police to request proof of citizenship from people who are stopped and questioned on another offense, such as a traffic violation or selling fraudulent identity documents. Officers would have the authority to arrest people who can’t prove their legal status.

Okay, we’re kidding about the Canadians.

Still, if you roll through a stop sign on your bike and don’t have your driver’s license, it sounds like the police would have the option to arrest you.

Do you always bike with a driver’s license?

The city of Royal Oak recently changed the traffic signal at 12 Mile Road and Connecticut — a popular crossing for cyclists.

The old signal cycled automatically, giving green lights to both streets. In order to reduce delays on 12 Mile, the new signal only gives a green like to Connecticut when a vehicle is present. They added loop detectors in the ground which detect metal objects like cars. However, the contractors told the city that the loops should also detect bicycles.

And that’s where we need you help.

We want to make sure it does detect bicycles, especially single bikes with non-steel frames (e.g. carbon.) If you have such a bike, could you ride up to this light on Connecticut and see if you get a green signal? It may take upwards of 45 seconds.

Please send your results to info@m-bike.org and we’ll pass them along to the Royal Oak City Engineer.