Strong Public Support Necessary for Bike Routes, Committee Says

Despite a year of behind-the-scenes meetings, a committee behind bringing bike routes to the Pointes announced Wednesday they need the public's support during a meeting .

More than 30 residents, many of whom were clearly bicycle enthusiasts, attended. Some walked out before the question and answer session began while others stayed to ask why a map with a route wasn't being revealed. 

Wednesday's presentation and open house, according to many of the attendees, was very similar to the last public meeting held about a year ago–in which the five-member committee asked for the public's support.

Questions by the audience were repeatedly met with responses emphasizing the need for strong public support without an explanation as to why the committee was essentially repeating last year's efforts.

After the crowd grew a bit more restless, questioning how they could support a proposal they are not being allowed to see, two committee members spelled it out for them.

"To say the least, the cities are at best lukewarm to the idea," committee member Carlos Borrego said. Borrego is the owner of and a member of the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce, which is the organization attempting to bring the bike paths to the area. 

Fellow committee member Steve Roach, who is an avid cyclist who commutes to work by bicycle daily and lives in Grosse Pointe Park, told the crowd the project won't happen unless the public demands it of public officials.

In a pointed manner, Roach told the audience that the route discussed includes the obvious streets, including a portion of Lake Shore/Jefferson Road, and that the routes are meaningless unless city officials get behind the project. He continued to say mockingly, "Of course we don't want people on Lake Shore," noting recent resistance.

There is a need for Grosse Pointers to voice their opinion at city council meetings during public comment and to grow the support at a grassroots level, he said.

Grosse Pointe Park councilwoman Laurie Arora attended and questioned why she'd never been contacted about the project if support was indeed needed from the cities.

Thus far the behind-the-scenes meetings have involved the committee, the city managers, the mayors and, most recently, the directors of public safety. Committee member Suzy Berschback said the committee got the thumbs up from the mayors and believed the project would be easier to accomplish than how it's turning out.

The project is supported by Wayne County Commissioner Tim Killeeen, who secured $70,000 from the county's parks and recreation budget to pay for it.

Killeen was more than happy to help secure the money. He repeatedly hears from his Grosse Pointe constituents–including the elected officials–about how the Pointes never see any of the county's parks and recreation money, despite paying taxes for it. Public funds may only be spent on projects that are open to the public, which means the private and resident-only parks in the five Pointes are not eligible for county funding.

The money must be used by Sept. 30, 2012, or the funds are lost.

Afterward, Roach said he believes the project is still achievable within the timeframe–given residents voice their support. "It became apparent ... the cities were not going to be responsive," he said. "They were receptive but not responsive without more of a community presence."

Admittedly, Roach said, the committee's work has been slow but "it would be a crime if it doesn't happen. This is a terrific opportunity. It increases the value of the community. It costs us zero. To me it's a no-brainer."

One resident suggested the Chamber generate a petition to be signed by those in support at all of the members businesses, questioning why the effort hasn't been done before now. Committee members asked everyone to sign in to the meeting and provide an email so they could get something like that started.

A flyer was handed out at the meeting listing each of the mayors and city managers from the Pointes with an email address. Berschback urged audience members to write letters of support to the public officials.

Much of Wednesday's meeting was a presentation by Norm Cox from the Greenway Collaborative–a business that specializes in planning non-motorized trails such as bike routes. Cox reviewed research about bicycle safety, including how statistics show the fewest crashes between bicyclists and motorists are in communities where it is a heavily used form of transportation.

The audience did not have questions for Cox, but committee members asked him to compare the current Grosse Pointe attempt to other communities efforts. Cox said establishing bike routes is a process in any community and that planning it carefully is the key to success. 

"Government is an interactive process. The only way to move things forward is to get interaction. If you are too reserved or too polite, it won't get it done," Roach said, noting that doesn't mean the process has to be ugly or nasty. "We need the councils to understand that most people want this."