Detroit News Laura Berman recently wrote about two Metro Detroit women who trying to get around mostly by bike and bus. They’re not car-free but they are committed to that lifestyle.

[Julie] Funke, a certified public accountant who lives in Royal Oak and commutes downtown, and [Melissa] Damaschke, who recently moved from Ferndale to Detroit, are bike-and-busers by choice – a rare but growing population segment, aided by recent regional upgrades, including bike racks on buses and miles of new bike lanes in Detroit.

In 2010, the friends made a pact, agreeing to use pedals and public transportation to get to work and social engagements as frequently as they could.

As the article mentions, they are documenting this commitment on their blog, Two Women, Four Wheels.

Like Funke and Damaschke, “Tig3rzhark” is documenting his bus/bike experience with a blog called, The Trials and Tribulations of a Detroit Bicyclist. He’s been sharing his stories since the summer of 2009.

Of course there are many other Detroiters living car-free and getting around by bus and bike. Given the route cutbacks at SMART and DDOT, those numbers are likely to grow.

Detroit Free Press image

Last week the city of Detroit announced a final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for the Woodward Light Rail project.

And while we have not yet read the FEIS, the city’s announcement does appear they did consider our bicycling safety concerns.

Those concerns mainly involved the alignment of the rails, center versus curb. The FEIS proposes a hybrid of these alignments, but mostly center-running — something that was preferred in 91% of the public comments.

The curb-running alignment is understandable on Woodward south of Grand Circus and there is not enough road right-of-way for center running rail. Besides, at this point, cyclists have many options even including the overly wide sidewalks if they want to stay out of the roadway. It’s really too bad the sidewalk planters hadn’t been designed differently in order to allow raised cycletracks along this section.

The FEIS route is also curbside along Larned and Congress. Since both are one-way, bicyclists (and eventual bike lanes per the city’s non-motorized plan) could be located on the opposite side of the street.

Washington Boulevard from Larned to Michigan will have curbside tracks, but we can probably live with that given the low traffic volumes. Washington is also supposed to receive bike lanes according to the non-motorized plan, but the rails may remove this possibility.

Why more center-running versus curb-running?

The city’s announcement provides the reasoning behind this design and alignment. Here are the reasons for pedestrians and bicyclists:

8. Provide a Safe Pedestrian Environment

a. Jaywalking is a concern under both options.
b. Stations associated with the center running option provide pedestrian refuges in center of Woodward.
c. Pedestrians would cross at marked crosswalks every 1/8th to 1/4th mile with the center running option.

9. Provide Safest Alternative for Bicyclists

a. Under both options, bicyclists will travel in the lane closest to curb.
b. The side running option creates a safety concern due to bicyclists traveling in lanes with uneven surfaces, inconsistent materials (steel & concrete) and gaps that could catch wheels due to the embedded track.

The Detroit Free Press, Detroit News, and Crain’s Business Detroit have also covered this recent news.

From Model D Media:

Join us Thursday, May 26 to learn about the future of transit and cycling in the city. Panelists include Kenneth Cockrel, Jr., Detroit City Council; Todd Scott; Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance (MTGA); Kelli Kavanaugh, co-owner of Wheelhouse Detroit; Robin Boyle, Wayne State University and Carolyn Helmke, Chicago-based transportation consultant.

The program will take place at the Wayne State University Law School at 471 West Palmer in Midtown Detroit. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.; program begins at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Please register here.

Anyone who comes by foot, bike or bus will receive a nifty bicycle patch kit from Wheelhouse Detroit. It’s our little way of saying thank you for using alternative modes of transport.

This Model D Speaker Series event is presented by Model D Media, MSHDA and Wayne State University.

The Detroit RiverWalk remains closed near Hart Plaza. This closure is due to the construction of the new port and wharf for cruise ships and ferry service.

There is a ribbon cutting being planned for June. However there’s a chance this section of RiverWalk will be opened closer to the beginning next month.

The Detroit Free Press recently had an article regarding this project.

The port authority is working with officials in Windsor, local businesses and private ferry consultants on a market study to determine the feasibility of ferry service between Detroit and Windsor, Kerr said. Service could begin as early as 2012.

Supporters say a ferry could have a built-in demand from tourists and an estimated 6,000 commuters who work in one country and live in the other, including about 4,000 health care workers.

As we mentioned before, this international ferry service would be invaluable for cyclists wanting to get between Detroit and Canada.

Last August, MDOT solicited comments on the State Rail Plan.  We asked cyclists to comment in favor of AMTRAK allowing roll-on bicycle service for all of its trains in Michigan. Currently AMTRAK requires bicycles to be partially disassembled and boxed.

In the last legislative session, a rider was attached to the 2010 MDOT budget appropriation bill which said:

For rail passenger service supported in any part through capital or operating assistance from funds appropriated in this act, the department shall work with the rail carrier to identify ways in which reasonable transport of bicycles by passengers can be accommodated.

There are three AMTRAK lines in Michigan. Only two, the Pere Marquette (Grand Rapids to Chicago) and the Blue Water (Chicago-Lansing-Port Huron) are provided operating assistance from MDOT.

Our concern was the Wolverine line (Chicago, Ann Arbor, Detroit, and Pontiac) would not get roll-on bicycle service.

We spoke with an MDOT staff person yesterday. She said AMTRAK has told them all three lines will have roll-on bicycle service and they are aiming for spring.

We asked if the bicycles would be in a separate baggage car but apparently AMTRAK is removing some seats and installing bicycle racks. We don’t know how many bikes these train will accommodate. It varies among the current AMTRAK lines, with some allowing three bikes per passenger car.

Apparently one potential hold up is their reservation system needs to be updated.

There are more details on AMTRAK’s onboard bicycle rack accommodations on their web site, including:

You can reserve space for bicycles when you make a ticket reservation. We charge a fee (generally ranging from $5 to $10 depending on route and distance traveled) for reserving a space in the bike rack. If space is available, you will be issued a ticket for bike rack space. Be prepared to give this ticket to the conductor when boarding with your bicycle.

However, you will not be able to use the onboard racks if you have a “tandem, recumbent or other unusual bikes.”

Start planning your summer bicycle trip to Chicago now… Hopefully Amtrak will have the service up and running by then.