Category: Policy

Categories
Climate Action Policy

Windsor e-bike Restrictions

Thanks to Share the Road Essex County, we recently learned that e-bikes are not allowed on pathways in Windsor, Ontario. While they are allowed on the road and in bike lanes (as in Michigan), city bylaws prohibit them from paved paths and park trails.

This could affect e-bike use on the Gordie Howe International Bridge’s multi-use pathway — or at least on the pathways connecting to the bridge plaza.

Interestingly enough, e-scooters are not restricted from paths, whereas e-cargo bikes are not allowed on any road, bike lane, or path.

We reached out to City of Windsor officials and shared our concerns about how this differs from the rules on our side of the border. We passed along resources on our regulations, recommendations (e.g. MTGA e-bike Toolkit) and experiences with these devices on our trails.

They have been having some discussions about potential changes at both the municipal and provincial levels.

The City may take the following short-term actions…

Traffic By-law Updates: To address emerging safety and regulatory challenges posed by micromobility devices, the City could consider targeted by-law updates to ensure it accurately reflects which micromobility devices are permitted and prohibited, including specific provisions for regulating e-bikes on multi-use paths, where they are currently prohibited.

It’s good to see Windsor considering the positive impacts of these powered devices.

Increasing the safe and lawful use of micromobility modes of transportation, such as ebikes and e-scooters can help the city reduce its community greenhouse gas emissions by replacing short car trips with low carbon alternatives.

We will track this and report back on their updates. There are undoubtably a good number of Detroit e-bike users wanting to explore the pathways in Windsor, including the one on the bridge.

Categories
Policy

Active People, Healthy Nation

The government of Detroit, Michigan recognizes the importance of providing access to safe and convenient places to be physically active for people regardless of age, race, income, socio-economic status, disability status, and geographic location

At the urging of the American Heart Association, we wrote a proclamation expressing Detroit’s support of the Centers for Disease Control’s Active People, Healthy Nation initiative. We submitted the proclamation to the Mayor’s Office, which was officially adopted.

While approved in a modified form without the resolutions, those resolutions were previously adopted in city plans.

Increasing Physical Activity Through Community Design: The City’s Streets for People Plan will help to make it safe and easy to walk, bicycle, or wheelchair roll for people of all ages and abilities by improving the design of Detroit  with Complete Streets that connect destinations such as public transit, grocery stores, schools, worksites, libraries, parks, and health care facilities. 

Access to Places for Physical Activity: The City’s Parks and Recreation Strategic Plan will create or enhance access to places for physical activity, including parks, greenways, recreation centers, and programs

According to the CDC website, Kent County is the only other Michigan community to have passed a similar proclamation. However, it’s unclear if the CDC is actively maintaining the list of communities that have

Categories
Complete Streets Events Greenways Newsletter Policy

Looking back on 2025

When we started this work over 18 years ago, the pace of improvements for biking, walking and rolling was no where near as impressive as it is today. Where we used to have to scrape for news to share, we now have too much to report — and this is a good thing. So, if we were to put together a 2025 double-record greatest hits album, below are the tracks!

Read More

Categories
Policy

Belle Isle event permits

Black Girls Do Bike contacted us about new permitting requirements for any bike group that rides on Belle Isle — even for group rides they didn’t start on the island. We felt these were impractical and burdensome, so we worked with the DNR and Belle Isle Conservancy to arrive at the more reasonable requirements outlined below. Most club rides won’t require a permit.

Belle Isle Permitting Requirements

Q. Does my group run or ride event need a DNR permit to be on Belle Isle? 

A. Maybe!

For events starting or ending on Belle Isle, you need a permit when…

  • People must pay or donate to participate
  • There are 20 or more people

For all events, even those not starting on the island, you need a permit when…

  • Natural resources or facilities are impacted beyond normal recreational use
  • Traffic pattern alteration is required (i.e. closing travel lanes)
  • Directional signage will be placed for the event
  • DNR oversight is required
  • The use of park facilities is not consistent with current rules (i.e. riding in an area not designated for bikes)

In some cases, the park may waive a permit requirement after reviewing your permit application.

Note that these rules aren’t unique to Belle Isle. They’re mostly the same for all state parks, including Milliken State Park.

To get a permit, or if you are still unsure if one is required, email DNR-BelleIsleParkEvents@michigan.gov

Belle Isle facility reservations and commercial use

Categories
Complete Streets Policy

2025 Detroit Primary

As a 501c3 non-profit, we cannot endorse candidates for elected office. However, we can share what they’ve said about things that matter to us.

Detroit Environmental Agenda

We’re a founding member of the DEA and this is the group’s third voter’s guide. While the entire guide is worth reading, here are their responses to topics most related to our work.

Environmental Issues

  1. Doubling the DDOT budget
  2. Doubling the budget for the Office of Sustainability
  3. Expanding truck routes ordinance citywide
  4. Continued implementation of the City’s Streets for People Plan
  5. Continued implementation of the City’s Climate Strategy

Mayoral candidates Jonathan Barlow, Fred Durhall III, Saunteel Jenkins and Mary Sheffield answered yes to all of the above. Joel Haashim did not specify.

There were more varied answers among the council candidates

NameDistrict12345
Valerie ParkerAt-largeNANANANANA
Mary WatersAt-largeYesYesYesYesYes
Coleman A. Young IIIAt-largeYesNoYesYesYes
Roy McCallisterDistrict 2YesYesYesYesYes
Angela Whitfield CallowayDistrict 2YesNoYesYesYes
Scott BensonDistrict 3NANAYesNANA
Latisha JohnsonDistrict 4YesYesYesYesYes
Willie BurtonDistrict 5YesYesYesYesYes
Tatjana JacksonDistrict 5YesYesYesYesYes
Michael Steven Ri’chardDistrict 5YesNAYesYesYes
Tyrone CarterDistrict 6YesYesYesYesYes
Gabriella Santiago-RomeroDistrict 6YesYesYesYesYes
Denzel Anton McCampbellDistrict 7YesYesYesYesYes
Regina RossDistrict 7YesYesYesYesYes

The candidates did provide additional text answers to these five question, which are included in the DEA Vote Guide.

Note that not all of the mayoral and council candidates responded.

Mayoral Candidate Forum

The Detroit Parks Coalition and Bridge Detroit hosted a forum in July. Unfortunately the event ran long and we were unable to ask our question about greenways. Even still, those that participated spoke highly of parks and greenways.

I-375 Questionaire

The ReThink I-375 Community Coalition asked the mayoral candidates questions about the MDOT I-375 project. One question was, “While not all of the new roads developed through this project will be in the City of Detroit’s jurisdiction, what do you think your role as Mayor should be in ensuring safe, vibrant roadways for both motorized and non-motorized use result from this project?”

Candidates Durhall, Jenkins, Perkins, and Sheffield all provided answers, but some added more detail on the non-motorized aspect:

Jenkins: “The non-motorized pavement for walking and biking need to be clearly separated from the heavy traffic of the surface streets. Safety has to be a top priority.”

Perkins: “Ensuring Safety for All Users: Road safety should be a top priority, and I will work to ensure that all new and redesigned roads include features that protect both motorized and non-motorized users. This includes dedicated bike lanes, safe pedestrian crossings, improved signage, and well-lit areas to ensure that everyone can safely navigate the streets, day or night. I will advocate for a “complete streets” approach, ensuring that the infrastructure supports all modes of transportation, whether it’s driving, biking, walking, or using public transit.”

Sheffield: “Designs that prioritize pedestrian and bike safety must also be premiered here, just as we are prioritizing redesigned and safer roadways within our neighborhoods.”

Categories
Complete Streets Policy

Complete Streets Ordinance

Below are comments we gave before Detroit City Council:

We are continuing to advocate for the city council to adopt a Complete Streets ordinance. 

Complete Streets are those that are designed for all users – motorists, transit users, pedestrians, people with disabilities, bicyclists, and more. Complete Streets make it easier for everyone to safely travel along and across the street. 

We began our ordinance work 15 years ago and much has changed. Back then, we saw the ordinance as a tool to get the city to build Complete Streets. 

While we weren’t successful in passing that initial ordinance, we were successful in pushing for change. Detroit now has a Complete Streets Department and an excellent Streets for People Transportation Plan. It’s built some amazing Complete Street projects including streetscapes. Thousands of speed humps and other traffic calming features have been installed. And, DPW has been very successful tapping into state and federal funding to make this happen.

So why do we need an ordinance today?

We believe a Complete Streets ordinance can codify what the city is doing today, while giving the city more leverage in getting the state and county to do the same. 

We don’t expect the ordinance to change course or have any major effect on the DPW budget. Those changes have already occurred. 

Still, we believe this ordinance is as important as ever. 

As we’re seeing right now in Washington DC, a new administration can abruptly shift a transportation department’s direction away from best practices. An ordinance could dissuade this from happening in Detroit. 

Detroit had 130 traffic fatalities in 2023 with 28% being pedestrians, so clearly there is a continued need to emphasize safer street designs. 

We believe an ordinance would help keep us on that path.