Greenways are land corridors dedicated to recreation and environmental protection. From the 47.5 mile Joe Louis Greenway Project to the development of the Uniroyal property along the riverside, the movement around greenway development in Detroit is picking up.
Todd Scott is the Executive Director of the Detroit Greenways Coalition. He says there are several greenway projects across the city. Public interest in these spaces has grown in recent years, Scott says, and intensified during the pandemic.
When discussing the role of greenways in the city last year, Scott said they were a key hangout for people to gather together safely. Scott adds Greenways, which provide an escape from the hustle and bustle of city life and serve as an alternative transit route for bicycle commuters. The popular Dequindre Cut Greenway has seen a huge surge in visitor numbers. Scott says the pre-pandemic number was around 1,000 visitors a day in the summer months. However, that number has been since COVID-19 pandemic began.
Find out more about Greenways in Detroit at the next Great Lakes Now Facebook Live Watch Party hosted by Annamarie Sysling and Sandra Svoboda of Detroit Public Television with guests Todd Scott and Michele Hodges of Belle Isle Conservancy.
Listen: What role greenways play in the city
The difference between bike paths and greenways
While Scott explains that both greenways and bike lanes are important parts of the region’s non-motorized network, there are some key differences. Bike lanes are within the street right of way and, says Scott, are typically marked by posts and paint in the street around Detroit and the surrounding suburbs. Meanwhile, Scott notes that green roads are more often their own right of way and are often along geological sites with trees and waterways like the Detroit River. Scott says green lanes and bike lanes are important for connecting across the city.
Current greenway projects
Alex McLenon
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and others are building a highly anticipated section of the Riverwalk that will connect Mount Elliott Park to Gabriel Richard Park and MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle.
East of Mount Elliott Park on the former Uniroyal site, the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy and others are building a highly anticipated section of the Riverwalk that will connect Mount Elliott Park to Gabriel Richard Park and the MacArthur Bridge to Belle Isle. Scott says the project should be completed next year.
The Joe Louis Greenway is another attempt taking shape in the city. The ambitious project is a 47.5 mile greenway around the city of Detroit that will extend the Dequindre Cut and build a greenway in many parts of the city. Scott notes that this is one of the largest greenway projects in the world US right now. There are also several other greenway projects in Detroit, including the Southwest Greenway.
As greenways will be a part of Detroit’s future, Scott says that greenways and the non-motorized network play an important role in the city now, and that is likely to increase over time. He states that “a lot of people in Detroit can’t afford cars or auto insurance and greenways are an alternative and we need to make sure it’s a top-notch alternative.”
Reliable, accurate, up-to-date
WDET is here to keep you informed of important information, news and resources related to COVID-19.
This is a stressful, unsafe time for many. Therefore, it is more important than ever for you, our listeners and readers that you can donate, to continue to support WDET‘s mission. Please make a present today.
Donate today »
Comments are closed.