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Tag: bike lanes
MDOT has undertaken $4 million in road “improvements” at Belle Isle State Park where they not only failed to build sidewalks that were missing — they removed existing sidewalks.
When we first learned that substantial taxpayer dollars were allocated to Belle Isle roads, we wrote MDOT and the DNR asking that “All of the park roads, including the MacArthur Bridge, should be designed using Complete Streets principles. The major park roads should have wide sidewalks.” We also asked for other non-motorized improvements.
We were clearly ignored.
Now we can expect to see more pedestrians having to walk in the roadway, and more specifically in the bike lane, forcing cyclists to swerve into the vehicle lanes.
Not smart. This certainly does not follow MDOT’s Complete Street Policy.
The political reality is the Detroit Grand Prix got the $4 million from the state legislature with the intention of improving Belle Isle roads for racing. But these are state trunklines — and in a state park no less — and that same legislative body also passed the Complete Streets laws.
Making matter worse, for at least a month now MDOT has allowed the Belle Isle bike lanes and sidewalks to be blocked and inaccessible. We expect this to last at least two more months until after the Grand Prix finishes.
Neither MDOT nor the DNR are being proper stewards of a state park when public access is compromised for a quarter of the year.
While some may point to the benefits the Grand Prix brings to the island, they must be weighed against the $4 million benefit it got from the Michigan taxpayers.
In the end there must be a balance. This is a state park first and foremost for the people.
UPDATE, April 19, 2015: Through Michele Hodges of the Belle Isle Conservancy, the DNR has stated that the removed sidewalks were in poor condition. That is not true, so we’ve added three more photos showing the very good sidewalk condition prior to their removal. (The replaced road surface looks very good as well.)
MDOT has removed sidewalks on this Belle Isle road.
MDOT installs sewer grates in bike lanes with unsafe gaps that can catch tires
Belle Isle road rebuilt by MDOT but no sidewalk added
MDOT is allowing the long term storage of barriers in the Belle Isle bike lanes.
Current view of Downtown Detroit skyline from Belle Isle
Does this look like a Complete Street appropriate for a state park?
MDOT has blocked Belle Isle bike lanes for weeks
MDOT directs Belle Isle bike lane into a barrier
MDOT has removed sidewalks forcing pedestrians into the bike lane
Belle Isle sidewalk, now removed.
Belle Isle sidewalk removed to widen roadway
Belle Isle sidewalk, now removed.
They’re the oldest bike lanes in Detroit — almost 10 year old.
They were implemented under the guidance of Al Fields in the Mayor’s office. Al now serves as President of the Detroit Greenways Coalition.
But the Belle Isle bike lanes are no longer under city control. They’re not controlled by the DNR either. As part of the Belle Isle lease, all of the roads on Belle Isle, including the MacArthur Bridge are now state trunklines controlled by MDOT. Also as part of the lease, MDOT receives the state fuel tax money for these roads that used to go to Detroit.
Last summer the bike lane sweeping wasn’t the best, but it did seem to improve.
While at a Metro 313 Cyclones meeting last week we heard the snow was being consistently plowed from the bike lanes, so we contacted MDOT. They said they’ve had some problems getting all the snow removed on the same day.
How well the bike lanes are cleared initially depends on the characteristics of the snow event. The crews may not always be able to clear the bike lanes immediately; they may have to get to them after the main roadways have been made passable.
MDOT had planned to contract the snow plowing but the bids came in too high, so their own maintenance garage is handling it.
What do you think about the maintenance of the Belle Isle bike lanes?
Long ago, most Michigan municipalities eschewed their local traffic ordinances and adopted the state’s Motor Vehicle Code and Uniform Traffic Codes, both of which are fairly up to date with national guidelines.
Last May Detroit did the same.
For such a sweeping change, it was surprising that the Coalition was the only one providing public comment before City Council. We spoke in support of the change (with one “minor” exception) since it meant:
- Bicyclists would no longer be required to have a bell. We’re not anti-bell. We just don’t think you should get a ticket for not having one.
- Stores buying used bicycles had to make weekly reports to the police with the sellers’ names and addresses. Stores selling new or used bicycles had to file weekly reports with the purchasers’ information to the police as well. Failing to do either was a misdemeanor. We suspect no one was following this. Both were removed.
- Vehicles turning through crosswalks must yield to bicyclists as well as pedestrians.
- Bike lanes are defined and it’s more clear that vehicles are not allowed to drive or park in them. Both are misdemeanors.
Council passed the ordinance and it went into effect on June 1st.
With these changes in place, the Coalition is now working on educational materials and communications for cyclists, motorists, and law enforcement to roll out this Spring.
As for that “minor” exception? Stay tuned.