detroitjim

Anyone else wonder what the delay is in building the Joe Louis Greenway(formerly known as Inner Cricle Greenway)? Why's it taking so long?
In an article today by Detroit Greenways Coalition Overcoming our losses | Detroit Greenways Coalition "Besides, the greenway is not ready for construction yet. Framework planning will begin early next year which will lead to the routing and design of the greenway and surrounding areas.".
But this article written in 2017 in the Detroit News " Detroit gets $2M grant for Inner Circle Greenway effort"
Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News Published 8:44 a.m. ET July 13, 2017
https://www.detroitnews.com/…/detroi...nt…/103656768/
"City officials said they will release a request for proposals for framework consultants later this summer.(2017)
Studies, surveys and the community engagement process with residents living near the greenway will start in the
fall and wrap up by early spring of next year(2018), they said. The entire project is expected to be finished by fall
2019."

What happened in the meantime to the 2 mil? It all seems a bit fishy to me....
I know that 2 million wasn't going to build it, but that preconstruction work should have been finished long ago.

***PIP,Reg***

chas58

Maybe Crain didn't like it. That was quite a rant he had against bikes.

indyfabz

Google is your friend:

Joe Louis Greenway | Detroit Greenways Coalition

detroitjim

That Detroit Greenways Coalition timeline is sketchy. Two years to design it?? (2019-2020) Over half of the Greenway already exists!!!(on the map from 20 to midway between 7 &8 https://detroitgreenways.org/blog/wp-...ompression.pdf ) The 7.5 mile Conrail portion was purchased in mid 2017 . It's gonna take a lot of design work to follow the old rail bed .....riiight. The rest of it is just painting lines on the street. They got the 2 million dollar grant mid 2017.The framework should have been done in 2017. Just like the News article states we should be riding on it about a year from now, not three.

indyfabz

Uncorrect. There was an agreement in principal reached. The sale has NOT closed. How do I know? Because I work in Conrail's law/real estate department.

I think you are looking for a conspiracy where none exists.

detroitjim

From 18 months ago. " The newly purchased land, stretching 7.5 miles "

https://www.planetizen.com/node/9339...ay-falls-place

"

"Detroit buys Conrail railroad property to fill biggest gap in Inner Circle Greenway"

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/articl...p-inner-circle



"

"Detroit purchases 7.5 miles to build greenway loop"

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2017/06/22/detroit-conrail-build-greenway-trail/419529001/

"Detroit Buys 7.5 Miles Of Railroad Property To Create New Greenway Project"

https://www.greenmatters.com/news/20...eenway-project




Any reason why someone might think the city has had ownership since then?



A simple statement "building the greenway has been delayed since the transfer of ownership of the 7.5 miles of old rail line to the city has not taken place yet." by those updating the public might satisfy the biking publics curiosity.



Now.......... What's taking the transfer of ownership to the city so long???

indyfabz

There is an appalling lack of good journalism these days, although I did read one original story that said and agreement "in principal" had been reached. That's not the same as acquiring title to the property. But the point is that you now know the sale has not closed. Hopefully that fact has allayed your fears.

As for why it has not closed, I don't know the answer. It's not my deal. Even if I did know, I am not authorized to discuss whys.

detroitjim

Got no fears .......Ese. Ask your homeboy(off the record) what the Effing holdup is on the sale.

Road Fan

This is going to sound like more political crap, but if it works like in my field, a framework contract is one in which all the parties agree to be partners, and how to work together in order to design it. Among basic trivial crap like who is responsible for setting up the meetings, who gets paid, who pays, there's also how to resolve public/private rights and authorities to build a new facility across town, city, and perhaps county lines, and other multi-agency matters. For example, which park districts will participate and what is needed to make them work together?

It's more than getting out the shovels and backhoes and starting to dig.

I hope the grant or allocation of $2M is still intact after this preliminary has been settled.

I'm assuming there's not much prior progress to date - I hope I'm wrong!

detroitjim

Unfortunately it doesn't take long to mess on 2 million nowadays. My bet is that it's been pissed away in the last 18 months.That's the progress.

Road Fan

Yes, it certainly could be pissed away - I bet you know Detroit politics a lot better than I do. I didn't understand this stuff too well when I was coming up in Chicago, but here it Ann Arbor, that much can get eaten by consultants.

Do you know if they are planning to attach these Detroit paths to the Michigan Iron Bell paths? If so I'll be able to ride to Detroit from Ann Arbor!

detroitjim

Some news from Detroit Greenway Coalaition

https://detroitgreenways.org/top-bik...ects-for-2019/

detroitjim

indyfabz

The sale closed a few weeks ago. From what I understand, the delay was due to the city wanting to satisfy itself re: potential environmental liability. Ese.

detroitjim

Joe Louis Greenway Panel Discussion

Thu, Sep 12, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Event detailsanel Discussion on Housing and Economic Opportunities.

Missed it . 6 weeks ago. Couldn't find anything posted on the web about what exactly was gained by holding the meeting.

Just build it already! Discussion about housing? Economic opportunities??

Oh OK Gotcha...Economic opportunities like getting PAID to have some nonsense meeting to take another bite out of that 2 million bucks.

detroitjim

While searching for some new news found a link to the JLGreenway REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. (RFP)

It is dated October 2018(A bit bizarre since Indyfabz has inside info that the city didn't own the property until sometime in April 2019). At any rate
There should be some movement by the end of the year according to this schedule from the RFP

November 8th Proposals due, at the offices of the DEGA – 3 pm
November 12th- 15th Selection of the finalists / Interviews
November 15th Selection
December 4th DEGA Board authorization of Consultant’s Contract
December 4th Notice to proceed same day as Board authorization
December 4th, 2019 Joe Louis Greenway Framework Agenda and all deliverables complete

detroitjim

The second phase of the trail construction began Friday. Crews are now working on the half-mile section of a recreational loop from Fullerton to Grand River, otherwise known as the second major leg of the Joe Louis Greenway.Construction on this second leg is expected to be completed in the Spring of 2023.

The first stretch of the Greenway a1-mile segment (Warren to Joy),broke ground in May of 2021,will be completed and open to the public later this fall.

The nearest intersections you can visit in person to view the construction progress include: Warren and Central to the south or Joy and Alpine to the north.