detroitjim

It's not very long ,just over a mile . It's really nice that a Detroit suburb is working on non motorized alternatives.

Too bad that some of the pathway hadn't been started last year and funding revoked because certain residents had "Concerns included fears of a drop in property values and increased crime. "

Seems to me that recent studies show that there is an increase in property values when these pathways are created. Probably no one attending the earlier meetings had those studies to refute those concerns.

First part of city trail system takes shape | C & G Newspapers


https://troymi.gov/troytrails

chas58

link doesn't work (temporarily???)

Which part are they doing? I hope the south part.

I road most of it when they announced it a couple of years ago. It's just that part south of Long lake that is fairly unrideable. North of that is 90% just residential streets. I did tell them to pick a better connector to the Clinton river trail (everyone takes S Grey road into Auburn, the original plan was silly).

I was involved with the velodrome project in Rochester and downtown. The resistance to those projects was incredible. I couldn't believe the first Detroit project was canceled because an empty on sketchy part of Gratiot (NE of Eastern market) upset residents. Really? abandoned homes and liquor stores are better? Not like the Rochester velodrome has hurt property values - heck cricket players at the park draw a bigger crowd.

When I read the comments about Troy, I could just shake my head and say "not again...." Troy has plenty of "bike routes" already, how is a new one going to hurt?
People just fight change around here!

chas58

Now the server is responding.

Shoot, once they do this part, all they need is signage to get the rest of the way to Auburn. Below, the part West of Livernois uses existing roads/paths. East of Livernois the trail would be great. From there (if they put in that extension going from Wattles back to Livernois) it is an easy ride to Auburn using existing roads. I do that all the time (with a little dirt path excursion through firefighters park).

Personally, I would rather just go north from the civic center along lane drain as that is mostly city owned, and would cut the ride shorter by 2 miles. I just hope they keep a connection to Colebrook avenue (behind Zion Church) so the route can be accessed from the East. Heck, I would use this on my commute to work if they get it up and going.

chas58

Saw them out starting to build it this morning! Woohoo!!!

detroitjim

No way! That's remarkable!!
How different it is when a city is run efficiently and without it's leaders having their hands out.

Thanks for the heads up.

chas58

I'm guessing you haven't been following the saga about the Troy Transit Terminal - what a farce.

But yeah, Troy wants the library area to be a walkable urban center and downtown area, so this fits into that plan. They first announced this in 2015, but then lost the federal funding. oops. Glad its still going forward - but north of this it is mostly just riding through the neighborhoods. I should go ahead and put the rest of the route up to Auburn hills on google maps biking...

MorganRosser

Would be amazing for a trail to connect Rochester with Royal Oak.

DTownDave22

The paths I ride the most are generally not a problem, so this is positive to see.

Is Troy responsible for maintenance, especially regarding debris? This is my only real gripe about some paths that are seemingly the jurisdiction's responsibility (as opposed to a much more used and probably greater funded path system like the Metroparks). The overall usage seems limited of city-maintained paths. The fact that funding is needed from elsewhere suggests as much.

Have had two flats from glass in limited riding on two stretches of separate paths here Downriver (probably done 30-40 miles total over 9 1/2 years on two stretches of two diff. paths in Brownstown and an older segement of the Downriver Linked Greenway in Wyandotte). I can't recall any quick to drain flats from glass on-road, and I do 90% or more of my miles on roads I'd estimate. I wonder if certain cities typically check/sweep, etc., paths, or typically only do so if someone calls into the DPW.

chas58

I don't see a lot of debris on paths, unless it is next to a roadway (bike lane)
. Then it can be a nightmare, although I think they do sweep roads occasionally.

chas58

Impressive progress, considering they just announced this a couple of weeks ago in dead winter.

Here is the current state of the path. Its all marked out, and about 1/2 of the wooded area has been cleared out.

Troy would like to make the area around the library their downtown, and have a lot of living amenities (food, lodging) easily walkable to that area; this looks to be a part of that downtown master plan.

chas58

Is it just a mile long??? Or...

Pathway progress is proceeding well. The path west of livernois is marked for construction, and about 90% of the path has been cleared through the woods and by the pond.

I road the rest of the bikeway about 2 years ago. The only other part that needed construction was firefighters park, and, low and behold - the path through the northern part of that park has been marked and cleared too. Its possible that has been cleared for DTE, but it looks like it is set up to be a bike trail. Once those two woodland sections are turned into trail, the rest of the route from Troy to Auburn is just a matter of signage...

Here is the latest on the trail mentioned in the first post:

detroitjim

This is how things should happen. They announced filling the gaps to Detroit's Riverwalk yesterday,but construction won't start until this fall. Thanks for the updates!

chas58

Oh, that link to the trail map broke above.

Oh well, It was frozen enough so I could ride over the frozen mud this weekend and map out the actual trail. No idea how long it will take to pave it, but 90% of the path has been cleared through the woods and along the stream (Sturgis drain)...

BlazingPedals

I'm of mixed minds about trails. I don't understand why nearby property owners almost universally fear them when study after study shows that they enhance property values. They're parks! OTOH, I don't find them very useful for the cycling I do. So even though they don't help *me,* they help the community, even the people who are fighting them.

chas58

Well, it hasn't progressed too much.

The east/west portion was paved last fall, so I put it on google maps. So, half of the "trail" is done. The north/south portion along the drain (south of wattles) looks the same as it did last year. Well, they did recently clear out the foliage (again), so maybe that part will be done by Fall 2018?

detroitjim

Thanks for the update!

chas58

OK, so the north/south now has gravel on part of it. Could be a pretty little stretch (I'll add it to my commute as I try to hit as many parks as I can).

Here is the latest gravel and flooded (un-graveled) part of the trail after last weekend.


Finally, some gravel. At this rate, it might be finished late summer 2018


Finally, some gravel. At this rate, it might be finished late summer 2018.



Troy's trail under water during constructions and spring rains.

chas58

Its paved now. Guess its done!