Image: Courtesy of birdarts via Flickr
There is a biking community that stretches across Metro Detroit’s terrain and I would venture to say that in making that trek they have become masters of swift, safe travel. You’ve likely seen their forward momentum braving both hot and cold temperatures and defying the darkness that has begun to fall in what seems like the middle of the day.
As a driver I often find myself, “How can they stand to be out at this time or in this weather?”
But clearly a biker’s gotta do what a biker’s gotta do..
And that to -do has become creating a regional biking and walking map that will provide bikers and pedestrians safe ways to get from here to there.
The transit initiative is being sponsored by the Royal Oak Environmental Advisory Board and environmental advisory boards in Clawson, Berkley, Ferndale and Pleasant Ridge. The Oakland County Mapping Department has also agreed to print and collate the regional map once it’s fully comprised,.
Tom Regan, who serves on the Royal Oak Environmental Advisory received a suggestion from the Royal Oak Non-Motorized Transportation Plan (Active Transportation http://www.activetrans.org/) and followed through with gathering communities together to create a plan. The best part about this initiative is that anyone can participate by submitting the routes that they’ve found the safest and most efficient.
Those community members interested in sharing their routes are invited to attend a meeting to be held on:
- Wednesday, December 7th, 2011
- 7:00 pm
- Royal Oak Public Library
- 222 E 11 Mile Rd Royal Oak, MI 48067 (across from the new Emagine Theatre)
If you live in the following cities, Clawson, Berkley, Royal Oak, Pleasant Ridge, Ferndale and Birmingham are invited and encouraged to attend. Even if you don’t live in one of these cities and are interested in sharing safe route you are also encouraged to attend.
While it’s just in the beginning stages, the hopes for this program is that it will expand to include marathons and a network of signed bike routes and bike lanes connecting the region, and intersections across major streets that are safe and walkable ,says Regan.
The connections that are made at this community event will likely draw much needed attention to the safety of pedestrians and bikers statewide. With the development of online apps, bike rentals along routes and with participation from local businesses, more funds will be generated to progress this into a transit movement geared to preserve the safe transit of bikers and pedestrians across the state.
To find out more information please visit the Facebook group page of the Royal Oak Non-Motorized Transportation Group at:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/116745178378727
and join their Facebook Community Page at:
http://www.facebook.com/groups/116745178378727/#!/BikeWalkRoyalOak.
You can also send an email to RoyalOakBikes@hotmail.com if you’re interested in making connections with the effort.
Join the Network.
This article brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments Royal Oak, Urbane Apartments Ferndale, Urbane Apartments Berkley, Urbane Apartments Clawson, andUrbane Apartments Birmingham. We would love to connect on Living The Urbane Life Facebook and Urbane Life Twitter.
This article brought to you by the good folks at Urbane Apartments Royal Oak Michigan, Urbane Apartments Ferndale Michigan,Urbane Apartments Birmingham Michigan, and Urbane Apartments Dearborn Michigan
