Detroit Biking and Complete Streets in the news
10 bicycling myths debunked
Grist created this list and put a reference to the Detroit Bike City video at the top.
1. Biking is for elistists
Yeah, tell that to the good people of Detroit.
Metro Detroit has elitists. They’re just not in that video.
Detroit Complete Streets Coalition Makes City Streets Safer For Bikers, Pedestrians
The Huffington Post Detroit edition had this coverage of Detroit’s Complete Streets efforts.
It seems like a simple idea: Roadways should be safe for all users, whether they drive, ride public transit, bike or walk. But?Detroit is the 12th-most dangerous metro area for pedestrians in the country, and the region has a long way to go.
As the article mentions, the Complete Streets ordinance is in the Detroit law department prior to being introduced to City Council. Unlike many of the other communities making a buzz with Complete Street resolutions, Detroit’s should produce results.
Detroit, Michigan: The Non-Motorized City
Global Site Plans published this story which provides a very good overview of all that’s going in Detroit.
Do you ride for recreation, community organizing, or the daily commute? Within the Detroit community, public mobility has developed into two distinct exchanges: the first focused on physical redevelopment and the second, community development. On one hand, urban planners, environmental non-profits, and downtown developers are actively engaged in urban design and adaptive-reuse of existing infrastructure for the use of bicycles. While other Detroiter’s are focused primarily on the bicycle user: from recreation and community health to vocational skills and self-empowerment.
Compared to other transportation alternatives, bicycles do not require infrastructural changes. Indeed, Detroit has plenty of roads to share. However, road diets and greenway developments certainly make cities more inviting to cyclists.
The city’s Detroit Works Project reprinted this article as well.
Complete Streets isn’t anti-car
The article asks the question, “Will the Motor City ever relinquish its auto-centric ideals for the benefit of pedal power?”
Is that an accurate question? Perhaps in the suburbs, but not in the city of Detroit.
To improve biking, does Detroit need to get rid of expressways and convenient parking? It generally doesn’t have congestion. The city was mostly developed during its streetcar heyday and has a decent street grid, which means more intersections and non-expressway speed limits that are rarely above 35 MPH .
Is the road-dieted Michigan Avenue with bike lanes in Corktown any less ideal for driving? In many ways, adding bike lanes improves safety for everyone, including motorists and pedestrians.
Complete Streets isn’t anti-car. It’s about balancing needs among all transportation modes while considering how the road design affects the surrounding community.
Comlete Streets is anti-some-cars, specifically those motorists who ignore traffic laws, speed and imperil others. We’ve seen strong support for Complete Streets helping address that community issue — even in the Motor City.
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Tags: complete streets, Detroit
January 8th, 2012 at 10:26 am
I agree, Complete Streets means safe and easy access for all users, including motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists. As far as “relinquishing auto-centric ideals,” I think it’s an accurate question if it starts a conversation. We need to re-think our commute. The car made Detroit, but we are looking for a new direction, a sustainable direction that doesn’t rely on one industry. I don’t think light-rail is the answer, not yet. We need options that doesn’t require major infrastructural changes. I think that it’s HUGE that the Complete Streets movement is making an impact in the Motor City. Detroit needs balance… balance in transportation options, balance in industry, balance between the voices of the community and decision makers… Progress is promising!