I-275 Metro Trail Explained

I-275 Metro Trail
Photo Size:300
Photo Alt:Wintertime photograph of the snow-covered bike trail
Location:Wayne, and Oakland counties
Length Mi:31.6
Trailheads:2
Use:Hiking, biking

The I-275 Metro Trail is a bicycle trail in Wayne and Oakland counties in the US state of Michigan.

History

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) built a bike trail parallel to I-275 in the mid-1970s. This I-275 Bikeway was constructed as a reply to the 1970s energy crisis,[1] along a 31.61NaN1 stretch in Monroe, Wayne and Oakland counties.[2] This path is 8feet wide and runs at least 30feet from the freeway, fenced off from adjacent landowners. It was not well-maintained originally, but it was being improved in the first decade of the 21st century. There are 24 access points to the trail located at major cross roads along the route.[1] The trail is one of a network approved in June 1974,[3] and the state originally planned it to follow almost all 60miles of I-275 at the time, including the unbuilt segment north of Novi.[4]

Since 2006, the Michigan Trails & Greenway Alliance and MDOT have been working to improve the bike trail.[1] At the time of the alliance's initial studies, the trail was overgrown with vegetation in locations. The study focused on areas of needed improvement after meeting with members of the public in the communities surrounding the bike path.[5] In August 2009, MDOT held an open house to discuss construction work planned to improve the trail.[6] Further impacts by MDOT to the bikeway included closures in 2010 during reconstruction projects underway on the I-275 freeway.[7] Since a grand re-opening in 2011, the bike path has been called the I-275 Metro Trail.[8] In the middle of 2015, MDOT completed reconstruction of the bike trail,[2] resulting in a paved trail from a junction with the Downriver Linked Greenways East–West Trail near South Huron Road northward to 12 Mile Road in Novi.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance . I-275 Bikeway . Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance . March 3, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101110201336/http://www.michigantrails.org/projects/i-275-bikeway/ . November 10, 2010 .
  2. Web site: Rockford Advertising . I-275 Metro Trail North . Michigan Trails Magazine . Rockford Advertising . July 5, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160702103743/http://mitrails.org/I-275-Metro-Trail-North-80.php . July 2, 2016 . dead .
  3. News: Legislature Backs Bicycle Path Bill . The News-Palladium . Benton Harbor, MI . . 21 . June 28, 1974 . 10117334 . July 13, 2018 . .
  4. News: May 9, 1974 . Bicycle Paths Are Okayed . . . 13 . 13440201 . October 15, 2014 . Newspapers.com .
  5. Michigan Trails & Greenway Alliance . Reviving the I-275 Bikeway: The Potential for Community Enhancement . PDF . Michigan Trails & Greenway Alliance . September 7, 2006 . March 3, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110718193020/http://www.michigantrails.org/docs/I-275/i275_interim_report_pdf.pdf . July 18, 2011 .
  6. Rob . Morosi . MDOT To Hold I-275 Bike Path Construction Open House . Michigan Department of Transportation . August 5, 2009 . March 3, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091219075020/https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0%2C1607%2C7-151-9620_11057-219475--%2C00.html . December 19, 2009 . dead .
  7. Web site: Taylor Transportation Service Center . I-275 Corridor Improvements, Wayne County . Michigan Department of Transportation . February 11, 2010 . March 3, 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100603153441/http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0%2C1607%2C7-151-9621_11008-231389--%2C00.html . June 3, 2010 . dead .
  8. Web site: Admin . September 15, 2011 . I-275 Grand Re-Opening . Friends of the I-275 Metro Trail . June 21, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141019095138/http://www.michigantrails.org/I-275/index.php/2011/09/hello-world/ . October 19, 2014 . unfit .
  9. Rockford Advertising . 2016 . http://mitrails.org/maps/I-275-Metro-Trail-North-80.pdf . I-275 Metro Trail North . Michigan Trails Magazine . July 5, 2016.
    Rockford Advertising . 2016 . http://mitrails.org/maps/I-275-Metro-Trail-South-85.pdf . I-275 Metro Trail South . Michigan Trails Magazine . July 5, 2016.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "I-275 Metro Trail".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.