Category: Greenways

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Greenways Newsletter

News from the Trail – Mid-June 2019

Bike ride for Sheila Jett

Joe Louis Greenway Ride on Sunday, June 23rd

Registration is still open for our 24-mile Joe Louis Greenway bike ride on Sunday, June 23rd. The ride is being sponsored by the SmithGroup and will start near the Clark Park ice rink (1251 Scotten St.) at 8:30am.

This second annual Joe Louis Greenway bike ride will be limited to 100 donating participants. The objective of the ride is to create more awareness of the Joe Louis Greenway and raise money for the Detroit Greenways Coalition.

This year, participants will receive a commemorative pint glass. They just arrived and look great!

Event Registration

City of Detroit Community Visioning Sessions

The Joe Louis Greenway Visioning meetings are underway! All four meetings have the same content and activities so no need to attend them all.

Translation services will be available at Lasky Recreation Center and Patton Creek Community Center. Refreshments will be provided.

More information can be found on the city’s website: www.joelouisgreenway.com

Email Christina Peltier if you have any questions or would like her to present to your neighborhood organization.

Gordie Howe International Bridge Community Benefits

With the development of the new bridge comes a $10 million community benefit package to both Detroit and Windsor. Last week the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority announced how they plan on making those investments.

To quote a Detroit Free Press reporter we spoke with at the announcement, “Lot’s of bike stuff in there.” Included in the package is funding for parks (including the Fort-Rouge Gateway park we’ve been involved with), trails, trail heads, wayfinding, bike racks, a cross-river bike/walk tour, and much more. We’re were fortunate to have been consulted on these ideas and look forward to them being implemented.

Of course there are also many streetscape improvements to make it easier to walk and bike to the bridge. The bridge does have a non-motorized pathway, too. The city’s latest proposal for the Joe Louis Greenway has it running between Fort Wayne and the US bridge plaza, which we think it really smart.

More information on the community benefits

Recent Events

We recently attended an “Honor Roll” for Ms. Sheila Jett, a 61-year old Detroit grandmother killed while biking in a hit-and-run on Detroit’s westside.  Hundreds of bicyclists showed up, many arriving on the same route Ms. Jett had taken that evening. Special thanks to LDR, the Hub ride, and Westside Wednesday for helping make this happen.

Her daughter rode with us and Jett’s sister was simply overwhelmed by the crowd’s show of support. They were so thankful.

We mentioned to Ms. Jett’s daughter that Detroit’s bike community is family. We lost one of our own and it’s the Detroit Greenways Coalition mission to make a safer bicycling city so that other families don’t have to experience what hers did.

If you have any information on the hit-and-run, please contact the Detroit Police Department.

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Greenways Newsletter

News from the Trail – June 2019

Joe Louis Greenway Ride on June 23rd

Registration is open for our 24-mile Joe Louis Greenway bike ride on Sunday June 23rd. The ride is being sponsored by the SmithGroup and will start near the Clark Park ice rink (1251 Scotten St.) at 8:30am.

This second annual Joe Louis Greenway bike ride will be limited to 100 donating participants. The objective of the ride is to create more awareness of the Joe Louis Greenway and raise money for the Detroit Greenways Coalition.

This year, participants will receive a commemorative pint glass!

Event Registration

City of Detroit Community Visioning Sessions

From Christina Peltier, the City of Detroit’s Joe Louis Greenway Project Manager:

The first series of the Joe Louis Greenway Visioning meetings will be taking place in the next few weeks. All four meetings have the same content and activities so no need to attend all four. Translation services will be available at Lasky Recreation Center and Patton Creek Community Center. Refreshments will be provided.

The Joe Louis Greenway is an approximately 31 mile pathway that will connect many of Detroit’s neighborhoods, people and parks. More information can be found here: www.joelouisgreenway.com

Please share the event poster and facebook page with you friends and neighbors.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions or if you would like me to present to your neighborhood organization.

Detroit Iron Belle Trail & Bike Map

We have completed updates to a new Detroit bike and trail map and expect to have it printed and available later this month. We just received a $5,000 DNR Iron Belle Trail grant that will help us print the map. Of course the Iron Belle Trail will be prominently featured.

The map also contains a comprehensive list of rules and laws pertaining to bicycling, walking, scootering, and most importantly, safely driving motor vehicles around these other modes. We put a significant effort into this so that the focus is on motorist behavior, where we see the greatest room for improving safety on our roads and in our neighborhoods.

Recent Events

  • Bike to Work Day selfie with Council member Scott BensonThanks to those that attended our recent fundraiser event at the Lexus Velodrome on April 20th. We saw some amazing track racing, especially among the junior riders. There’s a lot more racing throughout the year, so check their schedule.
  • We had another successful Bike to Work Day event. The City of Detroit posted this video from the event.Thanks again to sponsors, including Henry Ford LiveWell.
  • Lastly, we need to give a shout out to the Grown Men on Bikes (GMOB) and Grown Ladies on Wheels (GLOW) bike clubs for another great Coupe Day in Cass Park over Memorial weekend. Bike clubs came from across the county and made it a huge success. We had a table with Detroit’s JLG Project Manager Christina Peltier and share information on the Joe Louis Greenway. We have photos from the event — including the many amazing custom bikes — on our Facebook page

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Friends of the Joe Louis Greenway Greenways

Joe Louis Greenway: Rollin’ towards reality

Ten years ago, Jim Edwards took me on a bike ride along an abandoned Detroit railroad corridor where he shared his vision for a trail then called the Inner Circle Greenway. It took some time as all major rail-trail projects do, but the greenway is now making serious strides towards becoming one of the most significant urban greenway projects in the U.S.

This month is your opportunity to get more involved in this project through the city’s vision sessions or one of three different bike tours.

City of Detroit Community Visioning Sessions

From Christina Peltier, the City of Detroit’s Joe Louis Greenway Project Manager:

The first series of the Joe Louis Greenway Visioning meetings will be taking place in the next few weeks. All four meetings have the same content and activities so no need to attend all four. Translation services will be available at Lasky Recreation Center and Patton Creek Community Center. Refreshments will be provided.

The Joe Louis Greenway is an approximately 31 mile pathway that will connect many of Detroit’s neighborhoods, people and parks. More information can be found here: www.joelouisgreenway.com

Please share the attached poster and facebook page with you friends and neighbors.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions or if you would like me to present to your neighborhood organization.

Detroit Greenways Coalition Ride on June 23rd

The Detroit Greenways Coalition is organizing a 24-mile Joe Louis Greenway bike ride on Sunday June 23rd. The ride is being sponsored by the SmithGroup and will start near the Clark Park ice rink (1251 Scotten St.) at 8:30am.

This second annual Joe Louis Greenway bike ride will be limited to 100 donating participants. The objective of the ride is to create more awareness of the Joe Louis Greenway and raise money for the Detroit Greenways Coalition.

This year, participants will receive a commemorative pint glass!

For more information and to register

Wheelhouse Detroit greenway bike tours

Can’t make it on the 23rd? We’ve partnered with Wheelhouse Detroit to offer 17-mile guided tours for a portion of the greenway this year. Attendees will get an up close look at this exciting project while helping us make it a reality. Tour Registration

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Greenways Newsletter

News from the Trail – May 2019

Detroit Bike to Work is Friday, May 17th

Register your pledge to ride to work and receive a free commemorative Bike to Work Day tech shirt.

We very excited to announce our 2019 title sponsor, Henry Ford LiveWell. Henry Ford LiveWell is Henry Ford Health System’s wellness center of excellence and aims to optimize the well-being of Henry Ford employees, patients and community members.

Wheelhouse Detroit Bike Shop is once again providing free valet bike parking at the Spirit of Detroit plaza from 7am until 6pm. Thanks, Wheelhouse!

Other event sponsors include the office of Detroit Council member Scott Benson, American Cycle and Fitness, MoGo, SEMCOG, Wayne State University, Avalon Bakery, and Wheelhouse Detroit.

REGISTER TO RIDE

Detroit Commuter Challenge & Survey

May is SEMCOG’s Detroit Commuter Challenge Month in Southeast Michigan. The Challenge is an excellent opportunity to reduce roadway congestion, improve air quality, and save commuters money. Single passenger drivers are “challenged” to try a new method of travel to work (carpool, bus, vanpool, bike, walk, or work from home) during the month of May, and participants are eligible for great prizes.

SEMCOG is also asking citizens to take this survey. Input received will help SEMCOG develop its regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for Southeast Michigan, as well as coordinate and develop strategies for local mobility issues. Gaps and areas where people cannot walk or bike will be reported back to local communities for input into their planning efforts.

Riding for Peace on May 10th

The Detroit Police Department is inviting everyone to ride with them on May 10th from 6pm to 8pm as part of National Police Week. The ride begins at the Third Precinct, 2875 W. Grand Boulevard. There will be beverages and snacks after the ride. Event Flyer

Registration is required by May 9th. Just call NPO Tamyra Harris-Hardy at (313) 570-4364.

Milliken State Park & Harbor planning on May 13th

The third public meeting on the new master plan for the park is May 13, 2019 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm at the Belle Isle Boathouse (6 Riverbank Drive). This planning will lead to significant changes to the park/RiverWalk with additional land, a possible Dequindre Cut extension. You’ll want to see it and share your input. In case you missed it, we did post this update from the February meeting.

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Greenways Newsletter

News from the Trail – April 2019

Fundraiser at the Velodrome this Saturday

This Saturday, April 20th will be more than just another exciting evening of bicycle track racing at the Lexus Velodrome. It’s also a fundraiser for the Detroit Greenways Coalition. If you not yet seen high-speed track bike racing at Detroit’s newest sports venue, this is a great opportunity to do so. It’s the Spring Track Classic and will attract top racers from across the region. Doors open at 6:30pm and the racing begins at 7:30pm. Tickets are available in advance and start at just $10.

Of course Saturday is also Earth Day and the Detroit City Council Green Task Force is hosting its Awards Breakfast. The event runs from 10am until noon, is free and open to the public. It’s being held at JBEW Local 58 (1358 Abbott). RVSP if you plan on attending.

One more event to put on your calendar is Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 17th. Make you pledge to ride that day to receive an event shirt and commemorative patch. More details are on our website.

FCA Expansion to impact greenways & trails

You may have read the news of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) planning to expand their Jefferson North manufacturing in the city of Detroit. They need more land for this and the city has offered to give them St. Jean Street which currently has bike lanes for the Conner Creek Greenway and the Iron Belle Trail. We’ve discussed options with our partners and developed ideas for alternative routings. We’ve also asked that we not lose the existing protected bike lanes on Conner and East Jefferson, which both border the FCA footprint. We’ve shared our proposals with elected officials, city staff, FCA officials, and our partners. Our entire proposal with maps is on our website.

Ultimately, we’d love to see the local community, city of Detroit, and FCA all arrive at a mutually beneficial solution that also improves green transportation options throughout the lower eastside. This project is moving quickly so we’ll be sure to stay on top.

Joe Louis Greenway Updates

Last month, the City of Detroit announced that the SmithGroup and its team had been selected to complete the Joe Louis Greenway Framework Plan. The SmithGroup has extensive greenway experience which includes designing the Dequindre Cut and Detroit Riverwalk. The City also announced that “an advisory council has been created, comprised of community members from each Detroit City Council District impacted by the route.”

We have three Joe Louis Greenway bike tours in the works. The first is our 24-mile fundraiser ride scheduled for June 23rd. We’re also working with the Wheelhouse Detroit on two shorter 16-mile tours on August 24th and September 28th.

Visit Detroit celebrates bicycling

You may already know how fun and cool bicycling in Detroit is. Others don’t, but that will be changing a bit with the Spring-Summer 2019 Visit Detroit magazine published by the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau.

The cover photo itself really shows how Detroiters are redefining American bicycling with customized, stylish bikes, matching attire, lights, and tunes. We couldn’t be happier seeing our friend Tracy (on the left) with her one-of-a-kind ride (BAM!). On her right are riders visiting from Ohio, not unlike the many other riders coming here from across the region to be a part of this movement.

And that’s not all. They also made this exciting video about Slow Roll that will get you ready for the summer of riding ahead of us.

Additional Reading

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Friends of the Joe Louis Greenway Greenways

Friends of the Joe Louis Greenway — April 2019

Dequindre Cut Clean Up

On Saturday April 13th from 12 noon to 4pm the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is hosting a community clean up of the Dequindre Cut. Volunteers are asked to register and meet for check-in at the Dequindre Cut entrances at Woodbridge, Gratiot and Wilkins Street for registration and directions. They will provide gloves and trash bags as well as snacks and water.

The Dequindre Cut is part of the planned Joe Louis Greenway. Supporting the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and this effort supports the Joe Louis Greenway.

Register for the cleanup

Design Team Selected for Framework Plan

During the last week of March, the City of Detroit announced that the SmithGroup and its team had been selected to complete the Joe Louis Greenway framework plan. The SmithGroup’s extensive greenway experience which includes designing the Dequindre Cut and Detroit Riverwalk helped them to edge out the Spackman Mossop Michaels team who was also a finalist in the selection process. City of Detroit’s announcement

The SmithGroup’s fellow organizational members also contributed to their selection. Their team includes: Toole Design, a nationally recognized firm for creating greenway networks centered around people; Sidewalk Detroit, for harnessing the art and culture to engage residents in an authentic way; Studio Incognita, for building soulful graphic design and messaging strategies; and HR&A Advisors, an industry-leading economic development and public policy firm highlighting the value of public open space.

The City of Detroit’s Request for Proposal stipulated that the Joe Louis Greenway framework planning process should be completed in one year. It also requires the process to have a minimum of 3 public input/community engagement meetings in at least 4 different segments of the JLG, hence a minimum of 12 community engagement meetings.

City of Detroit planners have been communicating with municipal leaders in Dearborn, Highland Park and Hamtramck to help ensure that residents and businesses in these cities actively participate in the planned community engagement meetings. The SmithGroup’s team and City of Detroit planners are working together to determine when and where the community engagement meetings will take place. The Friends of the Joe Louis Greenway hope to know more next month.

Save the Date: Detroit Greenway Coalition Fundraiser Ride

Sunday morning June 23rd the Detroit Greenway Coalition will hold its second annual Joe Louis Greenway fundraiser ride. The 24-mile ride will raise money for the Detroit Greenway Coalition and raise awareness of the Joe Louis Greenway. Last year it got excellent TV2, WDET and Detroit News coverage.

The route will be the same as last year, either on existing portions of JLG or paralleling planned portions. Again, the ride will include a break at the Oloman Café in Hamtramck. We will share the registration link when it’s online.

Joe Louis Greenway Tours with Wheelhouse Detroit

The Detroit Greenways Coalition is collaborating with Wheelhouse Detroit to lead two rides approximately 16 miles in length. The rides are part of Wheelhouse Detroit’s tour listing and are planned for 10am to 1pm, August 24 and September 28. They will include several stops along the Joe Louis Greenway where ride leaders, Todd Scott or Paul Vial, will talk about development aspects. It will be possible to register for these rides later this month after details are finalized.

Registration for the Wheelhouse Detroit tours