Here are some photos from Sunday which show greenways under construction (in all senses) throughout Detroit.
Additional details on the temporary closing of the Dequindre Cut were in a recent Free Press article. The closure is on the RiverWalk end of the trail.
Work on bridge overpasses at Larned and Lafayette that run over the Cut are forcing the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy to close the Cut from Lafayette south to Woodbridge until approximately September, when the projects finish. However, the southern end of the Cut will reopen on weekends except when the overhead construction work would make it dangerous, the conservancy said today.
The Cut will remain open from Lafayette north to Gratiot all summer.
Construction has begun on the new St. Aubin bike lanes between Jefferson Avenue and Mack Avenue. It is hoped that by the end of this summer, construction will begin on bike lanes on nearby Clairpointe from Jefferson to Maheras Gentry Park (on the Detroit River.) And, Wayne County has just submitted an MDOT grant application to build an off-road trail and bike lanes from Mt. Olivet Cemetery to Eight Mile Road.
All three segments are part of the Conner Creek Greenway, which will eventually be nine-miles long from the River to Warren along Detroit’s east side.
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.
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)
This is part of a story from Metro Parent magazine’s May issue. This article lists great trails that the entire family can enjoy.
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.
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.
Bicycle magazine’s video contest has a Detroit-themed entry named Catalyst. Voting ends on June 6th, 2010.
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.
Today was a big day. Another greenway in Detroit — the Midtown Loop — was officially under construction starting this week and there was a celebration on the lawn of the Detroit Institute of Arts.
From this UCCA/CFSEM press release:
Construction is underway on the Midtown Greenway, a four phase, two-mile greenway trail that will circle through Detroit’s University Cultural Center, Wayne State University and Medical Center and Brush Park districts.
Today at a press conference held at the Detroit Institute of the Arts, organizers officially broke ground to signify the start of the first of four phases of construction. When completed, the linked trails will provide eight miles of continuous greenways, enabling people to go from Wayne State University through the Eastern Market to the Detroit Riverfront.
“One of our main goals with the development of the Midtown Greenway is to reclaim the rights-of-way for pedestrians by creating a widened walkway, improving ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) crosswalks, and adding pedestrian traffic signals,” said University Cultural Center Association President Susan Mosey. “By adding such amenities along the route as outdoor seating, pocket parks and pet-friendly features, this trail will contribute to the quality of life and the lifestyle of the community.”
Mosey noted that only the first phase (Kirby and John R) is under construction and should be completed this year. She expects the Canfield segment construction will begin this fall with the Cass section beginning in 2011. The entire loop should be ready to go by the end of next year.
But that’s not all. The UCCA is also working on non-motorized connections to the Dequindre Cut.
And as we’ve noted before, this greenway is geared towards pedestrians and slower cycling. Commuters and faster cyclists may prefer sticking to the streets. This is similar to the current RiverWalk vs. Atwater tradeoff.
TellUsDetroit.com did some excellent interviews which are now on-line.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UE6F3tBx17U&feature=player_embedded
One highlight? Sunny Jacob from Traffic Engineering explaining this project’s focus on Complete Streets and livable communities — something the city of Detroit is now pushing.
This project is all about making the street safe and walkable for all uses… and its the new concept called Complete Streets. We are pushing forward with the city of Detroit to make new communities and make them user friendly for all the uses.
Secretary LaHood — Detroit’s talking the talk and would make an excellent candidate for the next round of federal TIGER (as well as ACT) funding.
We’ve uploaded a video of Al Fields speech. Al is Mayor Bing’s Group Executive for Planning, a very active cyclist, and the one you should thank for Detroit’s first bike lanes (on Belle Isle.)
Dave Duffield (from the LMB) and HometownLife.com recently posted MDOT’s reconstruction plans for the I-275 Metro Trail.
| Trail Segment | Construction begins by | Expected completion |
|---|---|---|
| Hines Drive to Meadowbrook | Early next week | October 2010 |
| Michigan Ave to Hines Drive | Early next week | July 2010 |
| South of Michigan Ave | 2011 | TBD |
Duffield adds, “Please refrain from using the path at all, especially the middle section. It will be totally impassible once they start ripping it up.”
The HometownLife.com article adds:
An enthusiastic group of trail users attended an open house held Tuesday by The Michigan Department of Transportation to hear about upcoming improvements to the I-275 Pathway.
During the meeting at the Plymouth Township Town Hall, MDOT and the contractors involved in design, planning and construction of the trail upgrades explained more about the project.
Trail users were also asked for input on certain design features, including the style of wayfinding signage and the four new bridges. The signage will help users find the path, point the way to nearby trails, and brand the 35-year-old trail with an identity to go along with its new name: the I-275 Metro Trail.
Yes, fellow cyclists. Orange barrel season has begun on the trails, too.