Cycling facilities that are outside of public road right-of-ways ranging from backcountry singletrack to rail-trail conversions
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.
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.