Dequindre Cut Expansion Coming - Connecting to Hamtramck and Midtown

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Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

Honestly, I am sort of ambivalent about it. Though I know you're overstating things for comic effect [[it doesn't rip out any existing infrastructure or streetwall, and I doubt any but the hardiest cyclists would use a "bikeway" to commute in and out of the city), it does reinforce this idea that bikes need special infrastructure. They really don't. They can just use the road as any other vehicle does.

You might be interested to know that there is a lively debate about this within the "cycling community" [[whatever that is). For more about "vehicular cycling," read here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vehicular_cycling

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As someone who has been riding my bike as my only form of transportation for over a year in Las Vegas which has very busy surface streets, you couldn't be more wrong about bikes needing their own infrastructure.

There is nothing fun about riding on a street without a bike lane where cars are driving past you at 45+ MPH, usually not giving you the courtesy of more than a couple of feet of space as they zoom past you. Also there are plenty of people out there who would be more encouraged to ride their bike to commute if there is safe and established bike lanes and paths.

It seems like a no-brainer to extend the Dequindre Cut up the existing ROW along Dequindre St. north of Mack, through Milwaukee Junction to Hamtramck. Also would be nice to reconfigure some of the streets around there: make Dequindre/Mack a normal intersection; work on improving the giant hump/narrowing of Mack at Dequindre Cut; make Russell St. a through street at Canfield. Would be nice to see some of these improvements in that area. Plenty of room for a DC extension on the grassy ROW along Dequindre.

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Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

Also would be nice to reconfigure some of the streets around there: make Dequindre/Mack a normal intersection; work on improving the giant hump/narrowing of Mack at Dequindre Cut; make Russell St. a through street at Canfield.

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What would be the benefit of making Russell St. a through street @ Canfield? I've never had any trouble taking Russell St. through Milwaukee Junction into Eastern Market, and I hardly ever see any vehicle traffic in that area while on bike. There is actually a sidewalk that cuts through the little park across from Sweetest Heart of Mary, so the journey is essentially uninterrupted [[on bike).

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Originally Posted by Zozo

What would be the benefit of making Russell St. a through street @ Canfield? I've never had any trouble taking Russell St. through Milwaukee Junction into Eastern Market, and I hardly ever see any vehicle traffic in that area while on bike. There is actually a sidewalk that cuts through the little park across from Sweetest Heart of Mary, so the journey is essentially uninterrupted [[on bike).

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It's not so much a problem for bikes or pedestrians, but traffic flow in general is greatly impeded by this ridiculous roadblock. Continuous street grids mean improved traffic flow, which means better commuting/bike rides for everyone. Doesn't make any sense to have Russell abruptly end like that at Canfield. Let's say you want to go from Milwaukee Junction to Eastern Market, or vice versa, you have to take a convoluted jog around the roadblock to Dequindre or the I-75 service drive. Forces more traffic onto other streets instead of just allowing Russell to be a through street. And I don't really see any good reason for the roadblock in general. The road is between a large factory and a gated residential development, so it's not like the increase in car traffic would greatly threaten the status quo. The destruction and dismantling of our street grid through urban planning blunders like superblocks and cul-de-sacs has only succeeded in stifling development and creating dead zones like the Russell St. roadblock area. This is prime example of an outdated and shortsighted type of traffic "improvement" that no longer serves any purpose, and only achieves in frustrating drivers and residents alike.

Edit; improved bike infrastructure is only one part of the picture, and would not be complete without improvements to vehicular infrastructure as well.

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Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

It's not so much a problem for bikes or pedestrians, but traffic flow in general is greatly impeded by this ridiculous roadblock. Continuous street grids mean improved traffic flow, which means better commuting/bike rides for everyone. Doesn't make any sense to have Russell abruptly end like that at Canfield. Let's say you want to go from Milwaukee Junction to Eastern Market, or vice versa, you have to take a convoluted jog around the roadblock to Dequindre or the I-75 service drive. Forces more traffic onto other streets instead of just allowing Russell to be a through street. And I don't really see any good reason for the roadblock in general. The road is between a large factory and a gated residential development, so it's not like the increase in car traffic would greatly threaten the status quo. The destruction and dismantling of our street grid through urban planning blunders like superblocks and cul-de-sacs has only succeeded in stifling development and creating dead zones like the Russell St. roadblock area. This is prime example of an outdated and shortsighted type of traffic "improvement" that no longer serves any purpose, and only achieves in frustrating drivers and residents alike.

Edit; improved bike infrastructure is only one part of the picture, and would not be complete without improvements to vehicular infrastructure as well.

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I wouldn't consider a park a roadblock or a superblock. To create a thoroughfare which would make Russell St. continuous would necessitate paving over part of Forest Park. I think what you say is true and can certainly apply to other areas of the city, and if there was demand for a thruway at Russell St. and Canfield your proposal would seem reasonable, but I have hardly ever seen much traffic on Russell St., or anywhere in that area really, and I have never seen heavy traffic, not even on Eastern Market weekends in the summer.

Definitely more people would ride, if they had some "space".
Traffic plays a crucial role in a cyclist's chosen path.

http://www.macombdaily.com/article/M...NEWS/160119584

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Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

It's not so much a problem for bikes or pedestrians, but traffic flow in general is greatly impeded by this ridiculous roadblock. Continuous street grids mean improved traffic flow, which means better commuting/bike rides for everyone. Doesn't make any sense to have Russell abruptly end like that at Canfield. Let's say you want to go from Milwaukee Junction to Eastern Market, or vice versa, you have to take a convoluted jog around the roadblock to Dequindre or the I-75 service drive. Forces more traffic onto other streets instead of just allowing Russell to be a through street. And I don't really see any good reason for the roadblock in general. The road is between a large factory and a gated residential development, so it's not like the increase in car traffic would greatly threaten the status quo. The destruction and dismantling of our street grid through urban planning blunders like superblocks and cul-de-sacs has only succeeded in stifling development and creating dead zones like the Russell St. roadblock area. This is prime example of an outdated and shortsighted type of traffic "improvement" that no longer serves any purpose, and only achieves in frustrating drivers and residents alike.

Edit; improved bike infrastructure is only one part of the picture, and would not be complete without improvements to vehicular infrastructure as well.

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When was the roadblock created on Russell? I remembered back in the 80s driving my car up Russell from Gratiot to Warren. Did this happened under the Archer Administration. I think that it should be reopened

Detroit has plenty of sparsely used streets to change into bike streets or thoroughfares. There are still unused alleyways that could be converted to bike roads. I had noticed work being stalled for the past year or so on the Riverwalk, especially the east end and the Cut. Some of the flimsiest excuses were used why work were stalled. One was it was getting cold outside or it was too hot. Development on the Cut and the Riverwalk were moving at a fast pace when Faye Nelson was head of the Riverfront Conservancy. When she stepped down from that position the project stalled. The part between Chene Park and the east riverwalk that began at St Antoine is still not developed and could had been completed a few years back. I would love to see work begin soon on the Cut going northward through to Hamtramck. I am questionable about the funds being misused in building performance platforms along the Cut or areas for vendors instead of using the funds to continue the trail itself. That little stage or platform on the Cut behind Lafayette Towers was a waste of funding which could had been used on the extension of the Cut northward or the riverfront eastward

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Originally Posted by stasu1213

When was the roadblock created on Russell? I remembered back in the 80s driving my car up Russell from Gratiot to Warren. Did this happened under the Archer Administration. I think that it should be reopened

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I believe this happened sometime late in the Young administration.

The stage by Lafayette Towers was built from a donation for that purpose. I’m not sure where the accusations of misuse of funds is coming from but that stage certainly wasn’t and I for one have been very pleased with the direction the conservancy has taken.

At Milwaukee Jct., a greenway extension would have to cross two railroads [[CN-GTW and Conrail). There's no way the railroads would allow that and they probably wouldn't even want a bridge. So the greenway would have to detour around to Clay St. via Russell St. or Jos. Campau.

Even if all that was feasible, past Milwaukee Jct. the railroad [[CN) is much busier and I doubt it'd allow a greenway.

I'd like to go on record as in favor of re-opening Russell.

1953

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Originally Posted by Zozo

I wouldn't consider a park a roadblock or a superblock. To create a thoroughfare which would make Russell St. continuous would necessitate paving over part of Forest Park. I think what you say is true and can certainly apply to other areas of the city, and if there was demand for a thruway at Russell St. and Canfield your proposal would seem reasonable, but I have hardly ever seen much traffic on Russell St., or anywhere in that area really, and I have never seen heavy traffic, not even on Eastern Market weekends in the summer.

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Thanks for those thoughts. Let's take a look at these photos and see if restoring a small section of Russell's ROW would significantly "pave over" Forest Park. I think it's evident from the photo this is an unsightly and depressing-looking roadblock that discourages traffic, activity, and interaction in our city. Perhaps the roadblock on Russell is the very reason you "hardly ever see much traffic" on the street?

https://i.imgur.com/rqvGAti.png


https://i.imgur.com/Vv8h3Ws.png


Also, for what it's worth, Eastern Market's own 2025 Master Plan specifically advocates for the reopening of Russell Street at both ends, at Antietam and Mack, which would also allow for a more efficient bus route and better overall market traffic planning.

https://i.imgur.com/1O0rrof.png

https://i.imgur.com/mFiItdr.png

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Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

Thanks for those thoughts. Let's take a look at these photos and see if restoring a small section of Russell's ROW would significantly "pave over" Forest Park. I think it's evident from the photo this is an unsightly and depressing-looking roadblock that discourages traffic, activity, and interaction in our city. Perhaps the roadblock on Russell is the very reason you "hardly ever see much traffic" on the street?

https://i.imgur.com/rqvGAti.png


https://i.imgur.com/Vv8h3Ws.png


Also, for what it's worth, Eastern Market's own 2025 Master Plan specifically advocates for the reopening of Russell Street at both ends, at Antietam and Mack, which would also allow for a more efficient bus route and better overall market traffic planning.

https://i.imgur.com/1O0rrof.png

https://i.imgur.com/mFiItdr.png

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You say this area discourages interaction with the City, but this section of the park is probably the most used area of the park, which is that shaded area where there is a tree and some picnic tables. This is the only bit of shade in the entire park, and the picnic tables were brought in by people in the neighborhood [[I believe the Church across the street), not the City. The "depressing" cul-de-sac I think you are referring to is used by people to park their cars so they can be closer to the shaded area and picnic tables when unloading their bbq grills, food, etc. and not having to carry them from Canfield. Reconnecting Russell St. would put the new road immediately adjacent to all this activity, and certainly put an end to it. Would you want to have a picnic on a nice summer day on the concrete curb of a street?

I'm all for more access to Eastern Market, but I'm not convinced reopening this part of Russell St. will allow for that. A big assertion in the EM 2025 plan is that reopening Russell St. at Canfield will bring more bus riders into the market on the weekend. But DDot Route 40 already goes into the market now, and demand is so low they don't even bother with service on the weekend. Are more people going to get on the bus just because Russell St. is reopened?

At any rate, if Eastern Market Corp. gets their way, which they probably will, I hope the City will have enough sense to add some shade and picnic tables to another area of Forest Park. This way EMC can have their thruway and the people who picnic in the park still have the opportunity to do so.