Bike Trails and Cocktails
Thanks to everyone who attended our Bike Trails and Cocktails event last month. We hope everyone came away with a thorough overview of where we’re at and where we’re heading with respect to new trails, better biking, and so much more.
Thanks to presenters from both the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority (on the Gordie Howe International Bridge) and the City of Detroit Planning Department. We are thrilled to be part of your big plans for moving the city and the region forward.
Thanks again to our sponsors who made this event possible: SmithGroup JJR, Hamilton Anderson, and LivingLAB.
Joe Louis Greenway
Last week the city moved forward with plans to rename the Inner Circle Greenway. With the Joe Louis Arena soon being demolished, Mayor Mike Duggan and others sought a worthy replacement. Naming the city’s longest trail after its greatest athlete lifts both. We are fully onboard with this as is the Joe Louis family. That’s not surprising since Joe Louis’ son is a Rails-to-Trails Conservancy board member.
We’ve written more about Louis, the origins of the original name and more on our web site. We’ve also updated our Joe Louis Greenway page with additional information and a timeline for the trail’s expected completion.
With our Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Doppelt Family Fund grant, we are updating our greenway trail map. We expect to have those available by the end of the year.
We are also working with the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance on a Michigan Senate Resolution in support of this greenway and its renaming.
Detroit 2017 Detroit Voter Guide
The Coalition is one of the original members of the Detroit Environmental Agenda. We recently published a Detroit Voter’s Guide where we asked all of the mayoral and council candidates their thoughts on environmental issues. If you’re a Detroit voter, this is for you!
Electric Bikes Legislation
Electric bikes (aka eBikes) are becoming more popular. Until this week, Michigan law was unclear on their classification and use in Michigan.
That’s all changed. Governor Snyder signed legislation this week to define and regulate electric bike use on roads and trails. There’s now a page on the Coalition web site that has more information on these changes.
In general, electric bicycles can operate on Detroit streets and bike lanes. Lower-powered pedal assist bikes can use paved linear paths like the Dequindre Cut, SW Greenlink, Conner Creek Greenway, and RiverWalk — though that could be changed by local authorities. These bikes are probably already operating on these trails.
We don’t expect many changes on the trails except that we may see more people using them. The state laws do give local authorities the ability to regulate (and de-regulate) electric bikes.
Living in Lafayette Park, he uses the nearby Dequindre Cut often. He told the attendees that every Detroit neighborhood deserves a great greenway like this — something that’s very much in line with the Detroit Greenways Coalition vision and Food and Fitness Collaborative goals.
We’ll give Coalition updates at the event regarding the Detroit RiverWalk, Inner Circle Greenway, Beltline Greenway, Complete Streets, and more.
We do want to share the exciting news that the East Jefferson protected bike lanes are scheduled for construction from mid-September through mid-November. These will be the first in Metro Detroit, but we believe they will set a standard for future bike lanes throughout Michigan.