oddjob2

Rode downtown via Jefferson today. Road is being marked for bike lane from Jefferson-Chalmers past Indian Village. Road crew still going east.

Also the curb lane is much cleaner, no glass! So they are running sweepers. Yea!

DTownDave22

On a social media account, I noticed some post related to the new design bike lanes that are being laid down in the city. I made a comment/question along the lines of: I rode on Michigan Ave. one Sunday morning (with the new designs) and it was relatively free of both foreign material and cars parked in it. Is this an anomaly as in it was recently cleaned (and will not stay that way for too long) or a new concerted effort?

I received no response but I did see/hear a street sweeper in Detroit last night checking out Dlectricity--not knowing the city incredibly well and it being dark, I want to say it was on W. Warren Ave. in the area of 96 or the Lodge.

Furthermore, the protected bike lanes on Cass were clean. There was also a post I saw from Detroit Greenways Coalition (or some other source) that the city invested in street cleaners so the use of such is a newer investment and likely streets are going to be cleaner in certain areas at least. Not sure it would make sense to invest in new bike lanes and not put the cleaners to good use where they could be used in such instances. Still though--as is well-documented, there are many miles of land and road in the city as compared to people and activity (as in foremost, jobs but also recreation) so use of such will have to be strategic to some degree.

I'm still trying to figure out what are all the contributors to foreign matter in the streets--I know potential causes, but I'd be interested in understanding that just for the sake of my own knowledge and curiousity.

oddjob2

City DPW Crews Re-Launch Residential Street Sweeping Program After Seven-Year Absence - News | City of Detroit

I don't ride downtown all that much, but until the other day, you could frquently see glass fragments mostly from vehicle windows and lights and occasionly bottle glass.

I sent this too, after my ride.

Maybe you can pass this on to the powers that be at the City!

I am not a commuter, but ride to Belle Isle or downtown a few times a year.

I rode Jefferson into Downtown today and was very happy to see the markings for a bike lane from Jefferson Chalmers all the way east and the contractor crew working on marking more pavement.

Westbound asphalt for the most part is in good enough shape.

Eastbound towards GP, not so much. I did not ride Jefferson because I rode the Riverwalk from RenCen to Belle Isle. Between 500 ft east of Fisk and the City Water Treatment plant, there are probably 5-9 spots needing resurfacing, or manholes pulled up. Also from Hart to the Connor pumping station, there are 2-3 spots that are dangerous as well.

jefnvk

I only occasionally ride downtown. I was surprised how nice the roads were when we did Tour de Troit two weekends ago. Massive improvement from the year previous.

Looked like some of the roads being resurfaced were getting bike sharrows, too.

Melem2007

Me and the wife ride belle isle alot she does not want to ride jefferson it seems like the city is trying to get it together well downtown at least.

I want to do a ride from (our home) canton to downtown. The wife is not down for that.

DTownDave22

I can understand both sides. I highly suggest a mirror on Metro Detroit roads (really I would use them just about anywhere) in some form--it helps reduce the risk of a cyclist being clipped or hit and not seeing it coming, from behind.

Jefferson Avenue: I don't do E. Jefferson in Detroit often enough except to agree with another post by OJ that EB is in poor shape. West Jefferson, my memories are semi-faded of in Detroit because I stopped doing it after Rouge River bridge work but I didn't remember it being both that rough and dirty.

Google maps, I'm not really sure how they use their cycling data, but that helps with planning a route a little along with Google street view. Weekend mornings are the best time to ride I'm sure you know. Also related to the bridge work on the Rouge River, I never would have thought to take Fort Street as a route but it is a considerably decent bike route, especially before the speed limit raise. Not quite as safe or bike-able going southbound on Fort St. with the 75-S traffic using it as a detour.

My point being, you and/or your wife should be open to giving it a try instead of precluding yourselves from it. It's obvious in my observations that many people don't even give biking on streets a try--perhaps some don't enjoy it enough to deal with the bit of stress that it can cause at times.

Depending on your location, you could reduce your net E-W road riding by taking the Rouge Gateway trail and then perhaps eventually Rotunda Dr. a bit more before getting into Detroit where traffic is much less. Mich. Ave. has bike lanes in Detroit.

chas58

People like me input the bike data (and someone else has to approve it).

FYI - best time to cycle Detroit is Saturday 6:30am with "beat the train"

Foldy313

I live off E. Jefferson. Crews have replaced the asphalt in much of the area designated for bike lanes, but there are still no plastic poles to protect the lanes from cars like there are on Cass or W. Michigan Ave. I don't know if they are in the plans or not, but without them, I don't see the lanes as being practical.

mrv 

(( is this old enough to be a zombie thread yet....?))
- Anyway! I bike it from Canton to downtown Detroit and to Belle Isle. It's a 70ish mile day depending how Dequinter Cut is worked in (or not). Message me if you'd like to join our motley crew in the spring. We go early to avoid D'born traffic on the way east, then pick up Hines for the ride west.

- The last time I road Jefferson to Belle Isle (probably when Tour de Troit was going on) it seemed pretty good.
I'll also take Jefferson south to loop to Grosse Ile. It's pretty good through Wyandott, but seems like it gets a bit sporty right before the toll bridge (free for bikes).
- So far no problems using Jefferson through the Delray neighborhood.
- And Fort Wayne doesn't open until like 10AM on the weekends - so almost never stop there as the guards seem reluctant to let us wander around before opening time.

cheers!

DerekJ_MI

I live in Grosse Pointe and travel down Jefferson Ave. all the time in my car. I see the new bike lanes and think that they are a bad design. I ride to Belle Isle all the time and will not ride in those lanes. They are dangerous. If you are a courser fine, but for folks who cycle fast (over 15 mph) you have no escape. When we ride to Belle Isle we Charlevoix and Vernor. Both are one way streets, 4 lanes wide and low traffic. Plus we get to ride the Mack Ave. Hill at Conner.

mrv 

- Coming from Grosse Pointe, is it a protected bike lane, like the pic below from Cass Ave? I REALLY do not like that bike lane - only used it once.
-- too narrow to pass other cyclist
-- dangerous at intersections where cars are turning
-- passengers are swinging doors into the bike lane

I understand the argument or the thinking more people use protected bike lanes because they WILL NOT bike with "car traffic", but when I opt out of the bike lane due to all the reasons above, and I become "traffic", it sure does irritate the cars in traffic!

DerekJ_MI

Yes, this is the design. In Michigan bikes are regulated as moving vehicles and therefore are or should be with cars. Naturally I'd rather get hit by a person than a car but still my ability to avoid is much better if I'm in a spot that allows me options to avoid. There are no options except to stop.

friday1970

Good to see. I'll be doing some long rides that will take me into the downtown area and along this road. Good to see that I'll have less chance with flats in an area I don't feel the safest in.

oddjob2

Here is the latest news.

East Jefferson Avenue redesign to cut two driving lanes, add bike paths MLive.com

"A full repave of East Jefferson Avenue will occur in the summer of 2020." Why would the city stripe Jefferson now, pave later, requiring a restripe? Only in Detroit! Reminds me of Alter Road, which was paved about 2 years ago, the first time in over 30 years. Then the Water Department promptly opened up 30 craters in the asphalt to disconnect water, which makes it miserable again.

Nor did the city complete the last 2 blocks to I-94. The governor is right, work smarter, not harder.

chas58

New protected bike lanes on East Jefferson will be test for Detroit

https://www.freep.com/story/money/bu...nes/615480002/

Jim from Boston

Thanks for posting that article, in particular: I grew up on the East Side near the City Airport, and learned to appreciate cycling as a lifestyle. I have previously posted to a Living Car Free Forum:

oddjob2

Riding to the Fox Creek post office the other day:

• Better lane demarcation than Schedule 40 PVC posts would be great. 1/3 have been mowed down along the initial Jefferson Chalmers stretch.
• Agree with the need for bikers to wise up. So many riders salmon and the lanes are not wide enough for opposing traffic.
• Drivers need to wise up too. What's the hurry at 4:00 pm? More than a few weave in and out of the bike lane to gain a car or two.

oddjob2