Ride on the Dequindre Cut path.  Brand new.  They also preserved the graffiti  throughout.  It looks awesome.

 

 

Light rail is planned for the otherside

The preserved graffiti is a really cool element.  It looks like some areas still need to be cleaned up a bit on/around the path, but overall very nice.  Lightrail immediately adjacent would be excellent and pose a great opportunity for Detroit to do some killer TOD stuff along the path/line.

 

Kind of related, but not is the BeltLine project in Atlanta.  It will add 22 miles of lightrail service (connecting into the existing MARTA system and proposed Peachtree Streetcar), with multi-use trails along the entire 22-mile stretch, as well as, 11 miles of additional trails extending into surrounding neighborhoods.  Interesting stuff.

Whoa. Detroit.

 

Bike paths? Light rail? What the hell is happening here?

Looks like a pretty interesting ride.  What strikes me is that there's a bridge every .1 mile. 

Finally it's back open.

Is that a former railroad path, abandoned road?

Nice. Who knew Detroit could be so progressive. I wonder if the bike path is well connected with major nodes or if it's more of an isolated trail. Where is this at? Is it near downtown? There's a lot of over-passes.

There actually used to be more bridges.  Tons more.  How about I do a pre-transition photo thread when i get the time? 

 

The Dequindre cut was where both freight and passenger rail lines used to be.  There used to be a large Depot down near the Renaissance Center.  When that was demolished, there was a plan to put the station inside the RenCen.  It never happened, but both General Motors and other private company leaders have floated the idea of light rail up to New Center and beyond.  There are so many light rail proposals right now in Detroit, that I guess it's a matter of seeing which ones will be built, and where additional lines will go.

Good! Maybe it will spur economic development and improve that crappy mall inside the Ren-Cen and eventually improve their ghetto room service while they're at it :)

That is awesome.  Did I see actual on ramps and exit ramps on the left side?  Sweet music too.

yipee skippee.

Is there a current map we can see?

 

I was a part of the push for The Hamtramck Trail. The plan was for it to spur off the Dequindre Cut and meander into the neighborhoods and shopping district. Unfortunately the project endoed after I moved to Columbus. Hopefully it'll get rolling again someday. [/bIKE_METAPHORS]

 

Here was (is) my logo:

 

 

(Not actually this pixelated. Damn you, photobucket resize feature).

i don't like that woman's handkerchief

It's not a hankerchief; it's either a babuszka or a hijab, depending on the viewer.

You know I don't speak spanish.

Como again?

that's no babushka or hijab, that's a little edie bouvier beale

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KaN9-aWfUTE&feature=related

well....i guess on long island it is....sorry, my spouse is a big grey gardens fan -- never mind, carry on!

 

you know I don't speak mrnyc.

that's ok as as long as you can speak dr. detroitese....

 

Milwaukee's got a bike trail very similar to this.  It's called the Oak Leaf Trail and it runs on the old rail beds.  My latest video is of me riding the trail into downtown Milwaukee from the north side:

 

 

Milwaukee was one of the first cities to do this, but unfortunately there's not enough room for rail AND a bike path.  And while bicycling is the mode of choice in Milwaukee, light rail keeps getting shoved off the table.  I hope Detroit's able to extend their network in the future as it's a wonderful asset.

 

Here's a map os the system in Milwaukee: http://www.milwbikeskaterental.com/images/bikemilwaukee.pdf

 

Here's a shot of the trail from the street above:

 

 

Notice the community gardens on the left.  Detroit might think about using the third lane for gardens too.  It might pose an agricultural problem if light rail is next to the gardens though...  just some thoughts.