Traverse City staff laid down fresh new bike lanes along heavily traveled Cass Street.

Hey transit fans,

Johnny Cash’s “I Got Stripes” has been playing in my head a lot lately.
 
“I got stripes,
stripes around my shoulders.”
I got chains,
chains around my feet”
 
Why is this classic tune in my head? No, I haven’t been arrested like in the song. White stripes on streets help cyclists get around the area a little bit easier and safer—and I’m seeing more and more of them everywhere I go. And chains? Well, you know, a bike chain is close to my feet when I ride… O.K. Let’s move on…
 
Earlier this month, engineers laid down fresh new bike lanes as part of a resurface project along heavily traveled Cass Street in Traverse City. The new lanes will help more downtown commuters leave their cars at home and bike to work.

City planners are also creating an active transportation plan that could revamp the rest of the city’s streets and sidewalks, making it easier for people to get around by bus, bike, and foot.

A little farther south, the Grand Traverse County road commissioners last month passed a resolution supporting “complete streets,” affirming its commitment to making sure they keep in mind all travelers—motorists, bus riders, cyclists, and pedestrians—as they design and maintain their roads.
 
The road commission joins Traverse City, Frankfort, Elk Rapids, and other communities across the region that have passed resolutions or adopted official policies that support creating streets for all people who need to get around.
 
Way to go, Grand Traverse Road Commission!

For more information on creating complete streets in the Grand Traverse area, check out the Connected Communities page on the Grand Vision website.

I got stripes, stripes around my shoulders.

What’s happening around Michigan?

Join us! The Transportation for Michigan coalition will spend two days traveling around Michigan this week using only buses, trains, and bikes during the 2013 Michigan Transportation Odyssey. And travelers will kick off the project on Wednesday night right here in Traverse City.

You’re invited to join the group for dinner at the Filling Station at 6 p.m on Wednesday. Then, the next morning at 8:30 a.m., the group will join TART Trails staff for a 10-mile bike ride, beginning at Boarders Inn in East Bay and ending at the Bay Area Transportation Authority downtown transfer center at 11 a.m.
 
Odyssey travelers will continue on to Grand Rapids using Indian Trails. The Odyssey ends in Detroit on September 27, with other stops in Kalamazoo and Ann Arbor.
 
Check out the Trans4M website for details on how you can register for any of the events along the way.

Upcoming events

Sept. 25 at 9 a.m. – Bay Area Transportation Authority Board Meeting at the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce (202 E. Grandview Pkwy, Traverse City, MI)

Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. – Michigan Transportation Odyssey Dinner at the Filling Station (642 Railroad Pl., Traverse City, MI)

Sept. 26 at 8:30 p.m.  – Michigan Transportation Odyssey Bike Tour begins at the Boarders Inn and Suites (1870 U.S. 31, Traverse City, MI)

Sept. 26 at 4 p.m. – LOCATION CHANGE: Grand Vision Transit Subcommittee Meeting at the Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, 3rd Floor Conference Room (202 E. Grandview Pkwy, Traverse City, MI)

Oct. 1 at 3:30 p.m. – Grand Vision Transportation Network at the Northwest Michigan Council of Governments (600 E. Front St., Traverse City, MI)

Oct. 9 at 12 p.m. – Benzie Bus Board Meeting at the Benzie Bus Headquarters (14150 U.S. 31, Beulah, MI)

Parting thoughts…

Ypsilanti had a chance to check out the Detroit and Ann Arbor commuter trains. (YpsiCourier)
Commuter trains to roll in New Hampshire, too. (NPR)
Michigan’s train travelers will see Wi-Fi in 2014. (Crains)
Did you know streetcars played a major role in shaping U.P. mining towns? (Freep)
Could too much parking strangle the Motor City? (AtlanticCities)
By the way, ‘green’ sprawl is still sprawl (AtlanticCities)

See you on the bus!

James

The Regional Rider is a monthly email newsletter that highlights the efforts to coordinate transit service in the six-county Grand Vision region. It’s published by the Michigan Land Use Institute’s transportation policy specialist, James Bruckbauer. Contact James with any questions or to provide feedback. Follow him on Twitter: @jimbruckb.