Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance

February 19, 2009 - University of Michigan - Flint

This event is for citizen advocates, community planners, and  local officials and anyone who wants to help make their community a great place.

1. Grant Writing for Trails and Greenways
2. Projects for Public Spaces
3. Design Standards for Complete Streets
4. Creating a Volunteer Maintenance Program
5. Trail Funding Resources
6. Liability for Trails
7. Successful Trail Advocacy

RSVP to Alberta Gunsell at (810) 257-3010 or agunsell [at] co [dot] genesee [dot] mi [dot] us by February 12, 2009

October 25-28  - Radisson Hotel & Suites -  Kalamazoo, Michigan

Professionals, advocates and trail users are working together to create a growing network of greenways and trails tying together people, places and opportunities for recreation. In the spirit of working together, the 4th Mid-America Trails & Greenways Conference celebrates existing and new connections and offers an excellent opportunity for all those involved in trails and greenways to share our experiences, learn from each other and continue connecting our trails and greenways.

Kalamazoo combines a wealth of recreational trails, parks and natural areas with a vibrant mix of historic neighborhoods and a renovated and vibrant Art Deco downtown. Named by the Urban Land Institute as “Top Ten Turnaround Downtown”, Kalamazoo offers many award-winning visitor destinations from brewpubs and wineries to outstanding museums to sparking lakes and rivers that will offer an enjoyable experience for all participants.

Please plan to attend and mark your calendar to save the date. More information to follow or contact the Michgan Trails and Greenways Alliance at 517.485.6022.

Title: Dequindre Cut Community Forum
Location: Friend’s School in Detroit
Link out: Click here
Description: The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is hosting a Community Forum on Tuesday, November 18, 2008 at Friends School at 5:30 p.m.  The October 28th Forum provided an update on the construction of the Dequindre Cut, the Conservancy’s role in the future of the Dequindre Cut and an update on the East Riverfront.

On November 18th, we want to discuss future programming on the Dequindre Cut and the East Riverfront. We are inviting the leaders in the community to participate in this discussion. If know of any community leaders (block club officers, CB Patrols, PTA/LSCO, District Councils) in the near eastside neighborhoods who want to share the thoughts of their constituency or hear our thoughts, please forward the invitation!

Please RSVP to 313-566-8243 or at rsvp [at] detroitriverfront [dot] org. Space is limited!

We look forward to seeing you.

The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy
Start Time: 17:30
Date: 2008-11-18

From Model D Media:

Sign up for the Model D Speaker Series at 5 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the Russell Industrial Center. The event is free but space is limited so you must pre-register.

Sign in starts at 5 p.m. The hour-long presenatations start at 5:30 p.m, and networking and a reception will follow.

Speakers are John Hetel and Scott Clein. The topic is the Regional Transportation Coordinating Council’s recently released transit plan for Southeastern Michigan and a non-motorized plan that calls for more than 400 miles of bike lanes in Detroit.

Directions: The complex is at 1600 Clay Street in Detroit, just east of I-75, north of East Grand Boulevard. Enter off of Clay and park in the lot in the center of the complex. For a map, go here. Enter the Building One door marked 1604 Clay (with a blue person sculpture outside of it), and take the elevator to the fifth floor. Follow the signs to the theater.

The event is sponsored by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and Model D, and is hosted by the Russell Industrial Center and the Boydell Group.

Last Tuesday, the full Detroit City Council approved two resolutions relating to an MDOT-funded Non-Motorized Transportation Master Plan.

Giffels-Webster along with other firms and the City of Detroit developed the plan, which calls for various improvements for walking and biking in Detroit, including greenways and nearly 400 miles of bike lanes.

Link to Detroit Non-motorized Transportation Master Plan

While this plan had been accepted by Detroit Traffic Engineering, it wasn’t getting implemented.   And, since it had not been endorsed by City Council, MDOT had reservations about whether it was truly official.

MTGA and others vowed to change that.

We worked to get the plan formally presented to Council President (now Mayor) Ken Cockrel Jr.’s Green Task Force.  We received a very favorable response.

Next, the plan was presented to the city council’s Public Health and Safety Committee.  With a solid showing of public support, the committee created resolutions to approve it.  Those resolutions were approved last week by the full council.

Both resolutions are shown below.  The first endorses the plan while the second urges Detroit’s mayor to implement it. Read the rest of this entry »

MTGA Trail Blazing in Michigan Newsletter online now.  

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