What a busy week for bike advocacy!  There are four meetings scheduled this week.  Each meeting is an opportunity to speak up and ask for better bicycling facilities.

Tuesday: Detroit Riverwalk and Dequindre Cut

This is a public forum to discuss future programming of the East Riverfront and Dequindre Cut.  Details were posted last week.

Wednesday: Troy Trails Committee

The next Troy Trails Committee meeting is being held at 7:30pm in the City Council Chambers at City Hall.  We’ll be reviewing an upcoming presentation to City Council and get an update on the Troy’s Master Plan Request for Proposal (RFP).

Thursday: Bloomfield Hills Master Plan

A master planning public workshop is scheduled for Thursday, November 20th from 4 PM until 8 PM.  The workshop is being held at city hall, 45 East Long Lake Road.

The purpose of this public workshop is to inform local citizens of the process to update the Master Plan and gain input into areas of concern and opportunities for the future of the City to be addressed in the Master Plan.  Topics of discussion will include land use, housing density, building design, transportation systems, natural features and community facilities and services.

Improving roads for bicycling is certainly an issue within Bloomfield Hills.

Thursday: Royal Oak Downtown Development Authority

** Note that this is a date change **

We will be going before the DDA to ask that they support better biking and walking in Royal Oak, but especially in Downtown Royal Oak.  We expect to give a presentation similar to what we gave the Royal Oak City Commission.  This meeting is at 4 PM at City Hall.

The Earthworks Urban Farm (a program of the Capuchin Soup Kitchen) is starting a community bike shop on Detroit’s lower eastside.  This shop would be where Soup Kitchen guests and community members could build and repair their bikes.

However, they need tools for this shop.

If you have any of the following you wish to donate, please contact Patrick (313.579.2100 Ext. 204.)

• metric and english box wrenches
• adjustable crescent wrenches
• allen wrenches
• regular and needle nose  pliers
• screw drivers of various sizes
• socket wrench sets both metric and english sizes
• vise grips
• tire levers
• cone wrenches
• chain tools - chain breakers and chain whips
• freewheel removers
• spoke wrenches
• a truing stand
• clamp for a bike stand

They are also seeking donations to build a work bench:

• peg board and hooks
• plywood
• 2×4’s
• screws
• lag bolts (8-10″)
• rolling casters with locks
• a level

Here’s information for an upcoming forum on one of Detroit’s most talked about greenways:

The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is hosting a Community Forum on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at Friends School at 5:30 p.m.   The October 28th Forum provided an update on the construction of the Dequindre Cut, the Conservancy’s role in the future of the Dequindre Cut and an update on the East Riverfront.

The Detroit News ran an article today about the new DDOT bus bike racks that we’d previously reported:

The Detroit Department of Transportation is set to receive more than $500,000 in federal money to install bike racks on the fronts of all city buses.

The DDOT bus fleet would follow other local bus lines in installing bike racks under the buses’ windshields. The intent is to extend travel options for bus riders, especially those without easy and affordable access to cars.

“This is definitely something we’ve urged DDOT to do for a number of years to increase the usability for their service,” said Megan Owens, executive director of the advocacy group Transportation Riders United. “It really expands the area people can get to.”

Link: Detroit News article

Bagley Pedestrian Bridge Concept from MDOT

There may be no better poster child for showing how expressways can divide a community than I-75 and Corktown/Mexicantown.

At this year’s Cinco de Mayo celebration, Bagley Street west of I-75 was closed to vehicles and packed with revelers in a huge community celebration.  On the other side of I-75, Bagley was devoid of people.  Even the coffee shop was closed.

It’s so apparent how I-75 and the Ambassador Bridge facilities have split these Southwest Detroit communities, but especially for those on foot or on bike.  Re-connecting Bagley would certainly be a  positive step forward.

Now MDOT is taking that step.

As part of their Gateway project, they are building a bike and pedestrian bridge over I-75, making Bagley Street contiguous once again.

For cyclists, Bagley is already a decent road to ride.  It has low traffic and low speeds.  Bagley east of I-75 will eventually have bike lanes as part of the Corktown/Mexicantown Greenlink Project.

Some of the many outstanding cycling destinations along Bagley include Clark Park, La Gloria Bakery, Los Galanes, Honey Bee Market, Cafe Con Leche Coffee House, Matrix Theatre, and my favorite Mexican restaurant, Taqueria Lupitas.

Also, MDOT is looking for artists to create public art along this bridge.  Here is their press release with further details: (more…)