Connecting Michigan

Connecting Michigan – A Statewide Trailways Vision and Action Plan

“There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come.”
~Victor Hugo, French poet, novelist, and dramatist, 1802-85

In 2007, Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance in collaboration with many trails groups, government agencies and stakeholders, launched Connecting Michigan; A Statewide Trailways Vision and Action Plan. This plan, funded by a grant from the Kresge Foundation, was drafted to increase communications, cooperation, and resource sharing to encourage improved regional and state collaboration to develop a quality statewide networked system of trailways and greenways.

Download: Connecting Michigan – A Statewide Vision and Action Plan

Download: Resolution for the Endorsement of Connecting Michigan

Endorsements:

National Agencies:
  • National Park Service, Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, Michigan Program Office
  • North Country Trail Association
  • Rails-to-Trails Conservancy National Office
State Agencies:
  • Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
  • The Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness, Health and Sports
  • League of Michigan Bicyclists
  • Michigan Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects
  • Michigan Department of Community Health
  • Michigan Department of Natural Resources
  • Michigan Department of Transportation
  • Michigan Environmental Council
  • Michigan Recreation and Park Association
  • Michigan Snowmobile Association
  • Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance
Regional Agencies:
  • Genesee County Metropolitan Alliance
  • Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Northwest Michigan Council of Governments
  • Niles-Buchanan-Cass Area Transportation Study Policy Committee
  • Twin Cities Area Transportation Study Policy Committee
  • Iron Ore Heritage Recreation Authority
Local Governments:
Counties:
  • Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission
  • Ingham County Parks and Recreation Commission
  • Isabella County Parks and Recreation Commission
  • Jackson County Parks and Recreation Commission
  • Kent County Parks Department
  • Marquette County Active Living Task Force
  • Marquette County Health Department
  • Midland County Parks and Recreation Commission
  • Oakland County Parks and Recreation
  • Ottawa County Planning Commission
  • Saginaw County Board of Commissioners
  • Clair County Parks and Recreation
  • Southeast Livingston County Recreation Authority (SELCRA)
  • Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation
  • Van Buren County Road Commission
Townships:
  • Crockery
  • Fenton
  • Gaines
  • Garfield Planning Commission
  • Garfield Board of Trustees
  • Grand Blanc
  • Hamburg Township Recreation Board
  • Highland
  • Meridian
  • Morris
  • Pittsfield
  • Putnam
  • Thomas (Parks & Recreation Commission and full Board of Trustees)
  • Waterford
  • White Lake
Cities:
  • Buchanan
  • Cheboygan
  • East Lansing
  • Eaton Rapids
  • Evart
  • Fremont
  • Grand Blanc
  • Swartz Creek
Trail Groups:
  • Albion Trails Committee
  • Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail
  • Betsie Valley Trailway Management Council
  • Brighton Trail Riders Association
  • Friends of the Clinton River Trail
  • Crawford County Multipurpose Trails Committee
  • Friends of the Fred Meijer Clinton-Ionia-Shiawassee Trail
  • Friends of the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail
  • Friends of the Flint River Trail
  • Friends of the Lakelands Trail
  • Friends of the Kalamazoo River Valley Trailway
  • Friends of the Kal-Haven Trail, Inc.
  • Friends of the Musketawa Trail
  • Friends of the Polly Ann Trail of Lapeer County
  • Friends of the Saginaw Valley Rail Trail
  • Heart of Michigan Trails and Greenways Partnership
  • Highland Equestrian Conservancy
  • Iron Ore Heritage Recreation Authority
  • Oakland County Trails Advisory Council
  • Oakland Equestrian Coalition
  • Paint Creek Trailways Commission
  • Pinckney Trail Riders Association
  • Riverwalk-Railtrail Committee of the Bay Area Communiity Foundation
  • Southern Links Trailway Management Council
  • A.R.T. Trails, Inc.
  • Thornapple Trail Association
  • Top of Michigan Trails Council
  • Urban Trails and Waterways of Southeast Michigan
  • West Michigan Trails and Greenways Coalition
Other Non-Profit Groups:
  • Albion (Downtown Development Authority)
  • Clinton River Riders
  • Detroit Synergy
  • Fenton Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Flint River Watershed Coalition
  • Grand Blanc Chamber of Commerce
  • Grayling Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Grayling Rotary Club
  • Grayling Uptown District Association
  • Great Lakes Discovery Center
  • Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Greater Corktown Development Corporation
  • Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority
  • Mid-Michigan Environmental Action Council
  • Michigan Fitness Foundation
  • Michigan Mountain Bike Association, Northern Chapter
  • Potawatomi Resource Conservation & Development Council
  • School for Outdoor Leadership Adventure and Recreation
  • Slow Spokes Bicycle Club
  • Tri-County Bicycle Association
  • Washtenaw Bicycling & Walking Coalition
For-Profit Groups:
  • DTE Energy
  • Gould Engineering, Inc.
  • The Greenways Collaborative, Inc.
  • Hamilton-Anderson Associates
  • International Transmission Company
  • Landscape Architects & Planners, Inc.
  • Rowe, Incorporated
  • Wade Trim Group, Inc.
Others:
  • Brooks Patterson, Oakland County Executive
  • Ray Irvine, Director of Greenways & Bikeways, Indiana Department of Transportation
  • Citizens Committee for Michigan State Parks
  • Dennis Hansen, Author, Michigan Trail Atlas
  • Andrea Knopf
  • Richard Knopf
  • Meijer Foundation
  • Ruth Mott Foundation
  • Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission
  • Susan Armstrong
  • Amy Kuras
  • Jeffrey Dehring
  • Susan Bryan