Yesterday’s Detroit News had an excellent opinion piece on creating walkable (and bikeable) cities in Michigan. It was written by Brad Garmon of the Michigan Environmental Council and Gil White, the past president of the Michigan Association of Realtors.

Michigan needs great, walkable, urban places if it is to mount a serious economic recovery.

In essence, the idea is this: If we build places where the best and brightest want to live, our economy will reap the benefits in job creation, skilled workers and entrepreneurial activity. If we fail to build them, those same folks will continue to go elsewhere, taking their job skills, creativity and disposable income with them.

Michigan has not kept our young, talented professionals “because you’ve not offered them the walkable urban way of living, and they’ve left,” Leinberger says. “It’s not the only reason, of course, but it’s significant. You’ve got folks in this country that would love to move back to Michigan if there was any hope and any option that they could live the kind of life that they want to live.”

Both Garmon and White are on the Leadership Council of People and Land. One of their “Pillars for Prosperity” is to build attractive cities and neighborhoods.

They note that even Michigan’s best-performing city, Ann Arbor ranks 184th among the top 200 performing cities nationwide.

What’s it going to take to initiate this change?

Given the attitudes and aptitudes in our current road commissions, local, county governments, and SEMCOG — it’s going to take a generational change in leadership. We need new elected officials who aren’t satisifed with the failings of our current status quo plans for the future and are committed to stepping up to move us forward.

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Last week the Land Policy Institute (LPI) at Michigan State University released a study summary that for biking and trail advocates only reinforces the obvious: this region needs to make prioritized investments to improving biking, walking, and trail opportunities in order to retain and attract residents.

The report, Chasing the Past or Investing in Our Future: Placemaking for Prosperity in the New Economy, emphasizes the need to attract three specific categories of residents in order to grow in the new knowledge-based economy: young workers, retirees and well-educated immigrants.

Currently, Michigan lags “far behind” most other states in achieving this.

Michigan does poorly in nabbing the highly desired 25- to 34-year-old age group–the so-called Generations X and Y. Michigan sits nearly 15 percent below the national average and in the company of states like North Dakota and Kansas–not with leaders, such as Colorado and Georgia.

According to Dr. Soji Adelaja, the report’s lead author:

The winners will be those regions that build strategies and bolster vibrant urban cores, green recreation opportunities and diverse, entrepreneurial populations, among other assets.

In the Old Economy, people moved somewhere new or lived somewhere for 30 years because that was where their jobs were. Not anymore. People who create the most jobs directly and indirectly are also those people moving to those places in the country that have the best amenities and quality of life. They are seeking places first, not jobs first.

One item we’d add is our region often fails to market what green recreation we have. Metro Detroit has a very respectable collection of singletrack trails and rail-trails. Urban biking in the city of Detroit is top-notch.

Perhaps it’s our Motor City moniker that leads many to believe we lack these green facilities.

Either way, Michigan will not be competitive hanging out with the likes of North Dakota and Kansas.

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There’s a lot going on in Windsor, Ontario with respect to biking.  Despite being just across the Detroit River, there hasn’t been much interaction and exchange between bike advocates and even bicyclists — that should change in the future.

But first, lets begin by highlighting some Windsor stories on biking that have come up during the past couple months.

To begin with, a recent Windsor Star newspaper article spoke of efforts to improve biking on Riverside Drive:

Windsor has rolled a little closer to the longtime but controversial goal of having a bike path stretch from the Ambassador Bridge to the east end’s Ganatchio Trail.

A recent ruling by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment allows the city to widen parts of Riverside Drive — against the wishes of some residents — in order to create an unbroken bike path along 16 kilometres of waterfront.

The Windsor Star even printed an opinion piece in support.

One of the biggest supporters for biking in Windsor right now is Councilor Alan Halberstadt.

Mr. Halberstadt was also involved in a flap over ticketing cyclists that ride on sidewalks (and endanger pedestrians.)  One problem is some streets are not properly designed for bicyclists and high-speed, high-vehicular traffic counts. As a result, many cyclists feel forced to use sidewalks.

One such example is Windsor’s Tecumseh Road.  A cyclist challenged him to ride Tecumseh during rush hour to eyewitness the problem and he did.

Their two-wheeled adventure took about 15 minutes. More than once the much faster motorists were hitting the brakes as they slowed behind the cycling duo. Some impatient drivers farther down the line even hit the horn before darting out into the other lane. Graber said he wanted the councillor to experience what cyclists go through every day.

“So he could have more insight when he’s making decisions,” said Graber, who rides 15 kilometres to work each day. “I gotta take my hat off to him. He really stepped up. He was out there and a city bus came within two feet of him, so I really have to give him credit.”

Halberstadt said his ride, while hair-rising at times, hasn’t changed his outlook.

“Not really,” said Halberstadt. “I’ve been saying for 10 or 12 years, since I’ve been council, that we need to improve our cycling network. If the attention this has brought helps move this along, then I’m thrilled.”

And if you’re really interested, there’s a video of this ride as well.

Windsor Star also ran an editorial Bike Paths would Boost our Quality of Life.  It was great to read except it didn’t mention Detroit and our biking efforts.

Expect that to change.

NEXT UP: Getting bicyclists across the border

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Why a Master Plan?

Municipalities develop non-motorized master plans to look at their entire area and creates a vision for improved biking and walking facilities based on public input and various data sources.  Typically the plan calls for modifying existing road right-of-ways to better and more safely accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians.  It would also consider non-motorized trails needs as well as related amenities, such as bike racks.

And of course, a good plan would make recommendations on how to change city policies in order to make the planning vision a reality.

Having a good non-motorized plan helps municipalities implement them as road construction projects are planned.  Similarly, it obligates other road agencies (e.g. MDOT) to implement the plan on roads they own within the municipality.

And finally, having system-wide plans such as these improves the chances for grant funding to help implement the plan.

Detroit’s Plan

MDOT funded a non-motorized plan for Detroit.  Giffels-Webster along with other firms and the City of Detroit developed the plan.   The plan calls for various improvements for walking and biking in Detroit, including nearly 400 miles of bike lanes.

Link to Detroit Non-motorized Transportation Master Plan

City Council Resolutions

The plan was first presented to Council President Ken Cockrel Jr.’s Green Task Force.  We received a very favorable response and Mr. Cockrel got this on a council committee agenda.  With a solid showing of public support, the committee created resolutions to approve it.

Both resolutions are shown below:

RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE NON-MOTORIZED MASTER PLAN FOR THE CITY OF DETROIT

WHEREAS the benefits of bicycle lanes, trail systems, and other greenways for non- motorized transportation have generally long been recognized and are being addressed in an urban contexts, including the City of Detroit;

WHEREAS other major cities have achieved significant quality-of-life benefits by, in part, improving access to and the quality of non-motorized transportation systems;

WHEREAS the City of Detroit has undertaken the development of a Non-Motorized Urban Transportation Plan (the Plan);

WHEREAS the Plan was developed with funding from the Michigan Department of Transportation;

WHEREAS additional funding for implementation of the Plan may be available from various sources if the City of Detroit, and particularly the City Council, approves the Plan;

WHEREAS preparation and adoption of the Plan are important steps toward improving – access to, and the quality of non-motorized transportation in the City of Detroit, NOW THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED the Detroit City Council endorses the Non-Motorized Transportation Master Plan for the City of Detroit, prepared by Giffels-Webster Engineers, Carter Burgess, ArchiveDS, and Brogan & Partners, and funded by a grant from the Michigan Department of Transportation. AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED that the Plan for the City of Detroit shall be incorporated into the proposed revised City of Detroit Master Plan of Policies. AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Public Works Traffic Engineering Division; the Green Task Force; the Planning and Development Department, the Detroit Department of Transportation, the Recreation Department, the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan Greenways Initiative, SEMCOG and the Michigan Department of Transportation.

RESOLUTION URGING THE MAYOR TO IMPLEMENT THE NON-MOTORIZED URBAN TRANSPORTATION MASTER PLAN

WHEREAS there is broad recognition of the health, economic development, environmental and social benefits, bicycle lanes, related facilities and improved pedestrian infrastructure generate;

WHEREAS the City of Detroit has undertaken the development of the Non-Motorized Urban Transportation Master Plan (the Plan), and

WHEREAS the Detroit City Council, by resolution, has endorsed the Plan and called for it to be incorporated into the proposed revised City of Detroit Master Plan of Policies. NOW THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED the Detroit City Council urges the Mayor of the City of Detroit and the Administration to take the actions necessary to implement the Plan. BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED that the Detroit City Council specifically supports and approves the plans:linking Corktown and Mexican Town, the Dequindre Cut Greenway, the Conner Creek Greenway, and the Southwest Detroit Bike Path. AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED that appropriate aspects of the Plan be considered in developing the 2009- 2010 budget for the City of Detroit, as well as the 2008-09 through 20 13-1014 Capital Agenda. BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED that the Mayor consider formation of a Non-Motorized Task Force or similar entity as suggested in the Plan, dedicated to implementation of the Plan. BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED That a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Mayor’s Office, the Department of Public Works Traffic Engineering Division; the Green Task Force; the Planning and Development Department, the Detroit Department of Transportation, the Recreation Department, the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan, Greenways Initiative, SEMCOG and the Michigan Department of Transportation.

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Photo by Marvin Shaouni

Tom Woiwode knows greenways. ?He’s been at the forefront of the movement in Metro Detroit since 2001 when he led development of the GreenWays Initiative.

At the end of August, Tom wrote a series of guest blogs covering topics from the Dequindre Cut to the Riverwalk to other trails and greenways in Metro Detroit. ?The resulting blog entries are some of the best you’ll read on trails and what they mean to the people and communities that build and use them.

Thanks to Metromode and Model D for putting these on-line. ?The photo was taken by Marvin Shaouni.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n_znwWroGM

This video was taken by David Hembrow who adds “It’s important to realize that this is not an exceptional day, nor an exceptional school. Dutch children [are] everywhere, every day travel like this.”

Additional resources: National Center for Safe Routes to School, Michigan Safe Routes to School

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Majora’s efforts have resulted in the area’s first new riverfront park in 60 years, plans and funding for a major greenway/trail system, a green-collar training program, a green roof program, and much more. Her presentation was very inspiring.

Her presentation was similar to one she made in 2006 at TED. I highly recommend devoting 19 minutes to watching it. You will not be disappointed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ-cZRmHfs4

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While Royal Oak doesn’t have a solution today, Ann Arbor does. They have developed a traffic calming program where residents can petition for changes that slow down vehicles in their neighborhood.  From my perspective, it’s a very realistic approach to addressing residents’ concerns.

Of course it’s relatively easy for a local governments to commit to supporting something like this. It’s quite another for them to commit to funding it. Based on their completed projects list, it appears Ann Arbor has stepped up.

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In conjunction to the announcement, Governor Granholm added, “Michigan’s trails are gateways to recreation and tourism opportunities that grow our economy by attracting residents and visitors alike. Not only do they provide transportation and recreation options, but they make many areas of our state more livable and desirable places to do business.”

While the grants were awarded statewide, there are three within the MDOT Metro Region relevant to cyclists:

1. OAKLAND COUNTY: The city of Pontiac will construct 1.2 miles of nonmotorized trail as Phase Two of the city’s portion of the Clinton River Linear Park Trail. Phase Two will enhance bicyclist and pedestrian safety along this route and will be another link in the Clinton River Linear Park Trail that will eventually extend from the city of South Lyon to the city of Rochester. This project will include a shared bicycle and pedestrian path along the east side of Bagley Street, between the existing Clinton River Linear Park Trail and Orchard Lake Road; then along the south side of Orchard Lake Road between Bagley and West Woodward Avenue; then along the east side of West Woodward Avenue between Orchard Lake Road and Judson Street; and finally along the west side of East Woodward Avenue between Judson Street and M-59. The project budget is $375,720, including $300,576 in TE funds and $75,144 in matching funds from the city of Pontiac.
2. OAKLAND COUNTY: The city of South Lyon will construct a nonmotorized path from Volunteer Park south to Eight Mile Road, east on Eight Mile road to Pontiac Trail and then south on Pontiac Trail to the Salem-South Lyon District Library. The project is an extension of the Huron Valley Trail and is contained in the nonmotorized Master Plan for Oakland County. This extension will connect the rail trail to the southern boundary of the city and provide a link to Salem Township in Washtenaw County. The project budget is $354,969, with $230,730 in TE funds and matching funds of $124,239 from the city of South Lyon.
3. WAYNE COUNTY: The city of Detroit will streetscape cross-streets in the lower Woodward area of downtown Detroit. This project will complement other enhancements to major downtown Detroit streets in recent years by improving the secondary streets that physically connect the newly upgraded streets. The streets to be improved are Park Street, from Woodward to Adams Streets; Witherell, from Woodward to Adams; Adams, from Park to Witherell, Grand River Avenue, from Washington Boulevard to Broadway Avenue; and Clifford/John R., from Washington Boulevard to Broadway Avenue. Improvements will include bicycle racks, scored and decorative sidewalk paving, ornamental street lighting and upgrading existing sidewalks to accommodate pedestrian traffic. This project will improve the area, making it attractive and safer for pedestrians, and add to the city of Detroit’s efforts to make all public areas in lower Woodward more inviting. The project budget is $1,091,266, with $873,013 in TE funds and $218,25 3 in matching funds from the city of Detroit.

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