Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance

MTGA has worked with the Detroit Tigers to have an official Ride your Bike to the Ballpark. We are working with some local bike shops to provide group rides. We’ll update this web page as the ride information becomes available.

Here are the details from the Tiger’s web site:

Detroit Tigers vs Texas Rangers, Sunday, April 22, 1:05 p.m.

In the spirit of Earth Day, the Detroit Tigers are offering a very special ticket package!

For just $14, bicycle riding fans may receive an Upper Reserved ticket to the 1:05 p.m. game vs the Texas Rangers and a ticket for a one-day-only bicycle valet to be located on Columbia Plaza in front of Comerica Park’s Gate A entrance. Bicycle valet tickets are only available through this special offer, and will not be available for purchase on the day of the game.

Tickets and Bicycle Valet Spaces are limited and will sell out, so be sure to purchase yours today!

Join the Detroit Eastside Community Collaborative for the first annual Cycle into Spring on Saturday, May 19th from 9 a.m. to noon.

Enjoy a pleasant pedal from the Detroit River to Eight Mile and back along the Conner Creek Greenway (CCG), nine miles of cycling infrastructure that traces the original Conner Creek and links people, parks, green spaces, neighborhoods, schools and shops. Five miles are complete; funds raised at Cycle into Spring! will support programming and the development of the final four miles of the greenway. Refreshments provided at rest stop.

Sites along the route include Chrysler Mack Assembly, Wayne County Community College, Chandler Park, Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Conner Playfield, Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport, Better Made Snack Food Factory and the Milbank Trail.

$25; $35 includes a full lunch from Slow’s Bar B Q post-ride. $15 lunch only.

 For more details. . . .

You can register on-line at http://cycleintospring.eventbrite.com

Dear Friend of Transportation:

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is seeking comments by Monday, April 30, on a public involvement plan for revising the state’s long-range transportation plan. The public involvement plan describes various opportunities the public will have over the next six months to help shape the revisions; it is available online at www.michigan.gov/slrp or in printed form by request.

MDOT is revising the state’s long-range transportation plan, MI Transportation Plan: Moving Michigan Forward, in order to maintain the 20-year planning horizon required by federal transportation planning regulations. Since reauthorization of the federal highway program could change the requirements, and since such legislation is still pending in Congress, the revision will be an interim step to keep the plan current. A full update will be scheduled at a future time in response to any new requirements that may result from federal reauthorization.

We would appreciate your help with informing others of this opportunity to play an important role in Michigan’s transportation future. Comments or requests for printed copies of the public involvement plan may be submitted via e-mail at parsonsb [at] michigan [dot] gov or by phone at 517-373-9534.

Thank you in advance for your assistance.

Robert H. Parsons
Public Involvement and Hearings Officer
Michigan Department of Transportation
P.O. Box 30050
Lansing, MI 48820

517-373-9534

The Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance will be at the upcoming Detroit Bike City show and swap meet at Cobo Hall. Will you?

From the Detroit Bike City web site:

Detroit Bike City is Detroit?s first annual bicycle show and swap meet. Offering 100+ vendors from all over the Midwest the opportunity to show, sell and swap bicycles, parts and everything bikes. Bringing together the whole community with all forms of bicycles from road and racing to mountain and BMX, Detroit Bike City has something the enthusiast or casual rider can enjoy, plus a full day of bicycle activities and demos for the whole family. A real chance to get some great deals, be sure to come out to Detroit Bike City to buy, sell, swap and browse.

Admission is $8 and is free for kids under 12

This is a great opportunity to catch the biking buzz that’s permeating the Motor City.

Grand Rapids plans this spring to apply for two Recreation Passport grants from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources to help pay for 3.5 miles of natural-surface mountain-biking trails at Richmond Park, 1101 Richmond St. NW.

The project proposed at Richmond Park would be part of “The Grand Loop” that will enable riders to access a network of off-street trails via on-street paths, said Kevin Allen, president of the West Michigan Mountain Biking Alliance.

“Why it’s so attractive at Richmond Park is because it marries with the urban bicyclist as well,” Allen said. “You can literally leave from your driveway and ride a little bit on the street and head out from there and hit some mountain-biking trails.

“There’s a lot of little parcels of property that are untouched, and our plans are to develop trails in these (areas) that not only the mountain bikers, but runners and joggers and cross-country skiers, could enjoy.”

Existing mountain-biking trails in the city are at Ken-O-Sha Park, 3155 Kalamazoo Ave. SE, and Grand Rapids Bike Park, 580 Kirtland St. SW. There also are existing trails at Richmond Park “that are not very sustainable,” Allen said.

“Our goal is to redesign those trails and make them something that everybody can use,” he said.

Read more. . .

Article by  Matt Vande Bunte | mvandebu [at] mlive [dot] com