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