I saw a bicycle rider heading downtown on Jefferson Ave. this morning

[GPCharles]

First spotting this year. Is this like the swallows coming back to Capistrano or the buzzards coming back to Hinckley, OH?

Q1 - Did the rider stop at red lights? Only if there was cross-traffic.

[Honky Tonk]

First spotting this year. Is this like the swallows coming back to Capistrano or the buzzards coming back to Hinckley, OH?

Q1 - Did the rider stop at red lights? Only if there was cross-traffic.

I almost creamed one a while back. He shot out of a cross street, I slammed on the brakes, he crossed Mack and kept going. Never looked, totally oblivious to what just happened. There must be some kind of mindset these days @ a certain age. Now that Dug-in has come up with "Safe Streets" maybe he can come up with smart pills for the users?

[313rd]

Was the biker in the newly painted bike lanes?

[GPCharles]

Most certainly.

[Shai_Hulud]

I was commuting by bike a month ago and saw several others at that time. However, I generally avoid main streets.

[ParisianLesion]

I personally work with at least three people who live in Grosse Pointe and bike to work on a regular basis and have for years. Additionally I bike back and forth to Belle Isle Jefferson Chalmers, Etc. And see several bikers all the time.

[Zacha341]

I peddle three miles at the gym on a recumbent bike, does that count at all?

[Honky Tonk]

I peddle three miles at the gym on a recumbent bike, does that count at all?

Sorry.....

[Honky Tonk]

I peddle three miles at the gym on a recumbent bike, does that count at all?

A bike that already served a term in office?

[O3H]

I wonder if you quizzed drivers on if they even know
-- newly painted bike lanes -- actually exist
where they drive daily back and forth to work.

[GPCharles]

I think they should "lay straps" [[counters) in the bike lanes and find out many bikers use the bike lane on a weekly basis.

[swingline]

E. Jefferson is getting a much-needed road diet. This has made a lot of Grosse Pointers and far east side Detroiters unhappy that their commutes to and from downtown are being lengthened by 5-10 minutes because they won’t be able to speed to work or home at 50 mph on the two remaining [[only slightly congested) travel lanes. Too bad.

If E. Jefferson is to transform into a desirable residential corridor as well as a commercial and economic engine for the city, [[e.g., Clark or Halstead in Chicago, Washington Ave. in Minneapolis, or Wilson Blvd in Arlington), the street must be transformed. The transformation must include traffic speed reductions, and the promotion of pedestrian and bike activity as well as street parking. The importance of improving this street so Detroit can function economically like every successful city in the world dwarfs the commute time needs of east siders.

[GPCharles]

So you want to make it more difficult and time consuming for people to get downtown to work. Where is the tipping point where they start looking for other places to have their offices, without a city income tax?

I think the bike lanes are of the "If you build it, they will come" type of amenity. I hope it works. How much bike traffic do you anticipate between December 1 and March 31st?

[Honky Tonk]

E. Jefferson is getting a much-needed road diet. This has made a lot of Grosse Pointers and far east side Detroiters unhappy that their commutes to and from downtown are being lengthened by 5-10 minutes because they won’t be able to speed to work or home at 50 mph on the two remaining [[only slightly congested) travel lanes. Too bad.

If E. Jefferson is to transform into a desirable residential corridor as well as a commercial and economic engine for the city, [[e.g., Clark or Halstead in Chicago, Washington Ave. in Minneapolis, or Wilson Blvd in Arlington), the street must be transformed. The transformation must include traffic speed reductions, and the promotion of pedestrian and bike activity as well as street parking. The importance of improving this street so Detroit can function economically like every successful city in the world dwarfs the commute time needs of east siders.

Great post! Yeah, screw those suburbanites and their cars! You have your $35 "Detroit vs. Everybody" t-shirt on. Have you given any thought to the thousands of "Detroiters" that live in that area? That need to get to work, on time, so they can make a living and that actually pay their taxes? That they too want to drive to Ho' Foods and other stores and restaurants and spend their money? How about the firetrucks, ambulances, police cars, delivery trucks, utility vehicles, motorcycles, etc. that also use Jefferson Ave constantly? How about Detroiters that are incapacitated, or are senior citizens, and can't peddle the latest bicycle, and rely on vehicles, transports or other Detroiters to take them to where they need to go? How about the thousands of suburban bicyclists that PAY someone to go on "rides" in Detroit, and clog the streets, is it Ok for them to congest Jefferson Ave., while Detroit taxpayers sit and wait @ lights for them to pass, is that Ok with you? Probably haven't given that much thought, have you? Make sure you look both ways when crossing intersections, and don't forget to ring your bell.

[swingline]

Great post! Yeah, screw those suburbanites and their cars! You have your $35 "Detroit vs. Everybody" t-shirt on. Have you given any thought to the thousands of "Detroiters" that live in that area? That need to get to work, on time, so they can make a living and that actually pay their taxes? That they too want to drive to Ho' Foods and other stores and restaurants and spend their money? How about the firetrucks, ambulances, police cars, delivery trucks, utility vehicles, motorcycles, etc. that also use Jefferson Ave constantly? How about Detroiters that are incapacitated, or are senior citizens, and can't peddle the latest bicycle, and rely on vehicles, transports or other Detroiters to take them to where they need to go? How about the thousands of suburban bicyclists that PAY someone to go on "rides" in Detroit, and clog the streets, is it Ok for them to congest Jefferson Ave., while Detroit taxpayers sit and wait @ lights for them to pass, is that Ok with you? Probably haven't given that much thought, have you? Make sure you look both ways when crossing intersections, and don't forget to ring your bell.

Wow. I didn’t realize all that chaos would result if the east side of Detroit along the river was no longer gashed by an eight lane wide corridor of under-utilized pavement. You’re right. E Jefferson is perfect as-is. Although maybe if the city would re-pave, motorists could probably go faster.

[Honky Tonk]

Wow. I didn’t realize all that chaos would result if the east side of Detroit along the river was no longer gashed by an eight lane wide corridor of under-utilized pavement. You’re right. E Jefferson is perfect as-is. Although maybe if the city would re-pave, motorists could probably go faster.

Hey, no problem, now run along and ride your bicycle, "Look Ma, no hands!"

[GPCharles]

under-utilized pavement

And the miniscule number of bicycle riders that use the bike lanes are going to bring it to full utilization? Doubtful. Jefferson is jammed in the morning and the late-afternoon with commuters.

And bonne chance to all nighttime bicycle riders on East Jefferson from Belle Isle to downtown on Friday and Saturday nights.

[Shai_Hulud]

So you want to make it more difficult and time consuming for people to get downtown to work. Where is the tipping point where they start looking for other places to have their offices, without a city income tax?

I think the bike lanes are of the "If you build it, they will come" type of amenity. I hope it works. How much bike traffic do you anticipate between December 1 and March 31st?

You know, we could have space for even more cars if we ripped out the sidewalks.

[swingline]

And the miniscule number of bicycle riders that use the bike lanes are going to bring it to full utilization? Doubtful. Jefferson is jammed in the morning and the late-afternoon with commuters.

And bonne chance to all nighttime bicycle riders on East Jefferson from Belle Isle to downtown on Friday and Saturday nights.

It's not just about doing something for bicycle riders.

[dtowncitylover]

I love it when auto-centrics get their panties in a bunch. Perhaps we should just make Jefferson into an expressway so Grosse Pointers can make into downtown and back in under 10 minutes? You can bike, take the bus, and/or deal with the road diet.

And yes, making something like bike lanes safer might actually increase the number of users because they will see it's safer to use instead of being mixed in traffic with BMWs and Jaguars going 60 mph in a 40.

And your perceived thinking that there are a minuscule number of bikers is biased because you don't care to see any bikers and because bikers take up less space than cars therefore, while there are fewer bikers numerically, there's probably enough to justify this safety configuration.

[GPCharles]

I have been checking on the number of bikers since the Alter to Chalmers section was installed and it is paltry at best during the morning and evening commute, my driving hours, presumably the same hours as the bike commuters. You are making some unfounded assumptions.

And has been stated above, it's not just Grosse Pointers.

[southen]

I have been checking on the number of bikers since the Alter to Chalmers section was installed and it is paltry at best during the morning and evening commute, my driving hours, presumably the same hours as the bike commuters. You are making some unfounded assumptions.

And has been stated above, it's not just Grosse Pointers.

You also have a great number of Detroiters who drive their cars down bike lanes not knowing that it isn't another lane for automobiles. My wife teaches in Detroit, rides her bike to work, and is constantly getting questions from her students asking "Why?" Detroit has not been a bicycle friendly city in the eyes of many of its' residents, it is going to take time for people to understand and come around to it. That learning curve however is not a reason to not implement slimmed down streets that are friendly to non-motorized mobility.

Oh and I drive the Jefferson corridor every day and I am in favor of this change.

[Zacha341]

I put it back into office every month my gym member payment is deducted! Just like politicians!!

A bike that already served a term in office?

I peddle three miles at the gym on a recumbent bike, does that count at all?

[Scottathew]

I personally work with at least three people who live in Grosse Pointe and bike to work on a regular basis and have for years. Additionally I bike back and forth to Belle Isle Jefferson Chalmers, Etc. And see several bikers all the time.

In the Rochester\Rochester Hills area I use my bike to get to the library and post office which are five miles from my house. When I have to work seven miles away at our Troy location I will also ride my bike there. However, we don't have bike lanes but we do have extra-wide paths along a lot of main roads. There are some gaps though, but Rochester Hills has been investing a lot of money to pave pathway gaps.

[TKshreve]

It will be interesting to see how quickly these bike lanes [[markers) are ripped up by the reckless drivers in the upper east corridor of Jefferson. More so if the city responds to them being damaged with any sense of urgency.

The timing of the lights is out of whack as well along this stretch now, due to the loss of capacity. Maybe they should just build a people mover to run up and down Jefferson. I mean, if we are spending money.... let's spend money, right?