Skip to Content
Streetsblog USA home
Streetsblog USA home
Log In

Detroit's streets are changing, and it's a beautiful thing to witness. Despite its recent bankruptcy, thanks to the help of philanthropic institutions in the area, the Motor City is moving to repair some of the damage that's been done by decades of promoting the speed of cars over the health of neighborhoods.

false

That includes new investments in transit projects: M1 rail plans for Woodward Avenue, as well as bus rapid transit connecting to the suburbs. And it includes bikes as well. David Sands at We Are Mode Shift reports that the city is putting down a lot of stripes this year:

Cyclists on Detroit's East Side have a reason to celebrate this month. Right now, the city's Department of Public Works is in the process of laying down bike lanes on Kercheval that will ultimately stretch from Grand Boulevard to St. Jean.

Part of the route has already been set down and the rest is expected to be completed by the end of construction season. The Kercheval bike lanes are pretty basic, consisting of pavement markings and associated signage. When completed, they'll cover about four miles total, two on each side of the road.

Prasad Nannapaneni, a traffic engineer with the City of Detroit, says the new Kercheval bicycle route is intended for both transportation and recreation, adding that it's a segment of a larger undertaking.

"These new bike lanes will provide connection between Belle Isle and 8 Mile road (part of [the] Governor's showcase trail from Belle Isle to Wisconsin)," he told Mode Shift in an email.

Currently Detroit has 68 miles of bike projects. This includes 38 miles of bike lanes on city streets and five miles of bike lanes on MDOT streets, 10 miles of signed routes, and 15 miles of off road paths, according to Nannapaneni.

Altogether his department is planning to add about 50 new miles of bike lanes this year. In addition to the Kercheval lanes, the city is putting down 19.5 miles on Grand Boulevard from River Park to Belle Isle, 10.5 miles on Oakman Boulevard from Tireman to Highland Park's city limits, 4 miles on on Lafayette between I-375 and Grand Blvd, 2.8 miles on Forest between Dequindre and Cadillac, 3.7 miles on State Fair between Woodward to Dequindre and 3 miles on St. Jean/ Shoemaker/Conner between Mack and Harper.

Elsewhere on the Network today: Encouraging news from Beantown, as Boston Streets reports that eight mayoral candidates turned out to a recent campaign forum hosted by advocates for sustainable transportation, i.e. "the bike lobby." Meanwhile, Rebuilding Place in the Urban Space remarks on the tension between city dwellers' desire for more commercial amenities and their reluctance to welcome new people into their neighborhood to support those businesses.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog USA

Ambulance Data Reveals That Boston Drivers Are 4 Times More Likely to Run Over Pedestrians From Black Neighborhoods

"Overall, residents of predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods are about four times more likely than residents of predominantly white neighborhoods to be struck as a pedestrian."

July 1, 2025

Tuesday’s Sprawling Headlines

Sprawl seems to be having a moment, but it remains a very shortsighted and environmentally disastrous way to solve the housing crisis.

July 1, 2025

Does Constant Driving Really Make Our Country Richer?

A new study reveals that constant driving is making America less productive and prosperous — and getting people on other modes could help right the ship.

July 1, 2025

This Threatened Toronto Bike Lane Gets More Rush Hour Traffic Than the Car Lane

Toronto leadership claim "no one bikes" on their cities' paths — but the data shows otherwise.

July 1, 2025

How to Do High-Speed Rail Right

At the APTA conference in San Francisco, representatives from France, Germany, and Japan revealed the secrets behind their high-speed rail success stories.

June 30, 2025

‘We’re Not Copenhagen’ Is No Excuse Not to Build a Great Biking And Walking City

A team of researchers identified eight under-the-radar cities leading the local active transportation revolution — and a menu of strategies that other communities can and should steal.

June 30, 2025
See all posts