Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance

Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance is pleased to join with the League of Michigan Bicyclists,  the Michigan Mountain Biking Association and MSU Bikes in sponsoring the Lucinda Means Bicycle Advocacy on Wednesday, May 23rd at the State Capitol.

The event, which starts with a bike rally from Michigan State University down Michigan Avenue to the State Capitol, followed by visits with your state legislators, and ending with lunch on the Capitol lawn offers great camaraderie for bicyclists and enlightenment on the issues which affect Michigan’s status as a bicycle-friendly state.  This year we will be focusing on:

• Protecting Vulnerable Roadway Users – Enhanced penalties for injuring cyclists
• Revising the Bicyclist Right Turn Signal – Make extended right arm legal in Michigan
• Supporting Bikes on Trains – Roll on bike service for Michigan trains
• Supporting a Michigan trails and greenways license plate
• Opposing efforts to eliminate the Michigan Complete Streets Advisory Council
• Opposing efforts to eliminate dedicated nonmotorized funding
• Opposing “Right to Ride” legislation, elevating equestrian trail users above all other user groups on trails

Registration for Advocacy Day is $10 and includes lunch.  Please register as soon as possible on the League of Michigan Bicyclists‘ website, www.lmb.org so that prearranged meetings with both your State Representative and Senator can be set up.

This is a very special Biking event. The Ambassador Bridge, spanning from Detroit to Windsor, pauses traffic to allow bikes to cross.  Canadian riders will ride to the US, across the bridge, and meet up with the Americans.  Then both the Canadians and Americans will ride back across the bridge.  A delicious Breakfast will be provided after the bridge ride, at Canada’s beautiful Mic Mac Park.  more . . .

Save the Date of June 23, 2012

We are in the planning phase of a GRAND, grand opening of the North Eastern State Trail (NEST). Save the Date of June 23, 2012 so you can take part in this historic event.

Along with the Top of Michigan Trails Council, local officials, businesses and chambers of commerce along the 71 mile trail will be putting on the celebration. The plans for now include simultaneous ribbon cutting events at 8:30 a.m. in Alpena, Posen, Hawks, Millersburg, Aloha and Cheboygan where local officials can celebrate the trail in their community. The Ribbon Cuttings will be the start point for different length bike rides which will take you to Onaway.

From 12:00 to 2:00 in Onaway there will be the celebration lunch and trail dedication. There are plans for live entertainment, vendor booths and prizes.  Those registered for the ride will receive a  grand opening t-shirt, entry into the drawing, transportation to your car and a great lunch hosted by our partners. You can also just register for lunch. Registration Form. . .

Congress gets first look at fruits of bike and pedestrian infrastructure experiment

From Rails-to-Trails, Washington, D.C. – Since the nation’s first-ever experiment to gauge the impact of concentrated investment in biking and walking infrastructure in America was launched in 2007, lawmakers and transportation planners have been awaiting this moment – the publication of the project data evaluating the real impact of this infrastructure on communities.
Now, the numbers are in—and data counts reveal a more positive impact than even the program’s most ardent advocates anticipated.  more . . .

The Paint Creek Trailways Commission is currently accepting applications for a part-time, seasonal Bike Patroller.  Position is 20 hours a week, June through October 2012.  For more information, including job description and application instructions, visit: http://www.paintcreektrail.org/#news