Yes, there are “No Bikes” signs on the Dequindre Cut.

Yes, bikes will be allowed on the Dequindre Cut.

Those signs are merely in place to discourage use while the trail is under construction. They will eventually be removed. That’s also why the gated entrance at Lafayette Boulevard has been closed.

Don’t forget the Dequindre Cut grand opening is set for 10am on May 14th at the south end of the trail (at Woodbridge.)

Bring your parade bike and we’ll see you there!

The 44-mile long I-275 Bike Path is getting some love.

For the next two Saturdays, the Friends of the I-275 Bike Path are hosting trail cleanup days. The details are below.

If you ever ride on the I-275 Pathway, now is the time to pitch in and get it in shape for the spring & summer riding season! The Friends of the I-275 Pathway are organizing cleanup dates the next two weekends.

The first is Saturday, April 18th, from 9 a.m. to noon. We’ll be gathering on the west side of the Duo-gard parking lot in Canton Twp. at 40442 Koppernick (just east of Haggerty).

The second is the following Saturday, April 25th, same time. We’ll meet up at the rest area on northbound I-275 north of Michigan Ave.

Power tools are not permitted, so bring brooms, rakes, shovels, pruners, tree-loppers, or any kind of hand tool to trim trees, cut back brush and pick up litter. Wear long sleeves and pants. Water and a light snack will be provided. In case of rain, the workdays will be pushed back to the following Sunday.

If you have any questions contact Dave Duffield (248-994-3074, dduffield@lmb.org)

And as we mentioned earlier, this trail is receiving economic stimulus funding for some significant and much needed reconstruction. There’s $4 million to start with a possibility of getting another $5 million later.

Today Metromode ran an article with some additional details how what reconstruction will occur and where.

The Michigan Department of Transportation plans to spend about $4 million rebuilding portions of the hiking/biking path along I-275 in Plymouth and Canton townships. The improvements will include new signage for the trail and bringing it up to Americans with Disability Act standards.

The I-275 Bike Path has suffered a lot of wear and tear since it was built in the 1970s. Its 44 miles stretching between Northville and Frenchtown Township have watched erosion, decay and mother nature wreak havoc on the trail, making some parts impassable.

Someday this trail is going to be the fundamental piece of a 200-mile trail beltway encircling Metro Detroit. With funding and volunteer help, we can make this a reality.

During the past week, at least three different trails have been written about in the Metro Detroit newspapers, though most of the information has already been reported on this site.

Here are some excerpts:

From The Oakland Press

Portion of dinner train route will soon be a trail

A section of railroad used for a dinner train will become connected to a West Bloomfield trail system.

A $1.5 million grant from the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund will pay for the project.

Plans call for the section of railroad between Arrowhead Road and Haggerty Road to be abandoned, the tracks removed and the trail connected to the west end of the West Bloomfield Trail, a 4.25-mile trail that winds through the township and which was once rail lines.

From The Oakland Press

Pontiac to use $2.1 million grant to build bridge

A $2.1 million stimulus grant has been awarded to the city of Pontiac to build a pedestrian bridge over Telegraph Road to link pathways along the Clinton River Trail, city officials announced Thursday.

The bridge, north of Orchard Lake Road and south of Voorheis, will connect the 16-mile trail that links the cities of Sylvan Lake, Pontiac, Auburn Hills, Rochester Hills and Rochester.

Department of Public Works & Utilities Acting Director Allan Schneck said Pontiac has been the weak link in the line to connect trails from South Lyon all the way to Rochester Hills in Oakland County. Most of the trail has been connected except for the portion through Pontiac.

From the Detroit Free Press

Recreational path in Detroit to open May 14

The much-delayed Dequindre Cut Greenway, an urban recreational path connecting the east riverfront with the Eastern Market district, will finally open to the public on Thursday, May 14.

There will be a grand opening ceremony at 10 a.m. and activities and entertainment until 2 p.m., according to the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, the nonprofit organization that will maintain the Cut.

The 1.2-mile paved greenway was developed through a public, nonprofit and private partnership. It is part of a growing network of greenway paths developing around the city.

There’s been a significant update since our report last week on Lyon Township’s plans for re-routing the Huron Valley Trail along a road with driveways.

As we noted, the DNR was not going to allow driveways across the trail and that killed the deal.

Very recently the Township met with the DNR to discuss a framework for a new, more trail-friendly proposal. And though that proposal has not yet been made, some of the ideas discussed include:

• Keeping the trail on the original railroad right-of-way
• Allowing the Township’s ring road to cross the trail with a redesigned crossing that emphasizes safety

And because trail users are conceding this new road crossing, some additional trail improvements are expected in return. Those may include:

• Additional connections to local schools, parks, local businesses
• Lighting
• A trail head/staging area
• Eliminating or consolidating driveways near the Grand River trail crossing which make it messy
• Working with the DNR to have a trail bridge over Pontiac Trail

Overall, the theme of these possible benefits are safety and more connections — and protecting the public investment in this trail.

We should know more once Township comes back with an updated proposal, but it seems as though things are moving in a better direction for trail users.

The Huron Valley Trail provides a connection between South Lyon to Wixom. People use the trail because it’s away from cars, it’s green and just a great place to get away.

Lyon Township is trying to change that.

They want to re-route the rail-trail just south of I-96 and east of Milford Road. Rather than run straight through some greenspace, they want to increase their sprawl and build a big ring road.

Under the latest plan, the trail would be routed along this busy ring road. They also want to allow active driveways across the trail, which means it would no longer meet AASHTO guidelines — something that is required by township ordinance.

The DNR is saying “no”. They own the trail property. It was purchased and developed with taxpayer dollars as a recreational facility. They are defending this public investment and rightly so.

Another defender is Fred Dore, long time supporter and rider of this trail. He’s leading the grassroots effort to protect the trail from “being besieged by commercial development interests that may forever damage its utility, safety and natural beauty.”

He’s urging trail users to contact the DNR and Lyon Township officials to prevent this damaging trail reroute.

Link: Fred Dore’s letter to the DNR Director

The sad part about this is Lyon Township officials are claiming this is preventing growth. Southeast Michigan is not growing. Lyon Township is only getting larger because some other community is shrinking.

This is just another example of how the lack of regional planning hurts Metro Detroit’s long term economic health.

It’s just sprawl. And it’s certainly no justification for damaging our public investment in trails.