Thedownriviera Member Username: Thedownriviera
Post Number: 1 Registered: 06-2006 Posted From: 68.61.202.250
| Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 6:30 pm: | |
I stumbled across this website today (warning, the link contains 80+ pages to look at.) http://www.trailsandgreenways. org/resources/highlights/taser ve/detroit_plan.pdf I wasn't sure how old the link was, this is the first time I'd heard of such a project. Basically the plan is(was?) to turn some abandoned rail lines that run throughout the city into a series of nature trails and walkable pathways, making a sort of pedestrian railroad (if you will) to connect the different neighborhoods of Detroit. Has anyone else heard of this or can anyone comment with further info? I think this is a very admirable cause, provided I haven't completely misinterpreted the info from the link. |
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 1743 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 70.237.11.26
| Posted on Wednesday, June 14, 2006 - 8:18 pm: | |
This will be implemented for the Dequindre Cut between the East riverfront and Eastern Market. If it is utilized once complete, then I think it is a great idea. Welcome to the forum, by the way. |
Rsa Member Username: Rsa
Post Number: 872 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.215.246.115
| Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 10:01 am: | |
you'll find more info on it here: http://www.detroitriverfront.o rg/index.asp?site=5 (it's now a part of the east riverfront development) |
Tomoh Member Username: Tomoh
Post Number: 213 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 24.136.10.153
| Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 11:40 am: | |
Rails To Trails is better than turning old railways into new developments but if we want to one day reuse the railways for passenger rail, it's best to keep them as is instead of turning them into a park. But it's much easier to turn a park back into rail than to demo some stuff that got built on top. |
Thedownriviera Member Username: Thedownriviera
Post Number: 2 Registered: 06-2006 Posted From: 68.61.202.250
| Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 12:08 pm: | |
Thanks for the update. I wonder if they still plant to rehabilitate the rest of the sites mentioned? Mack - Thanks, I've been observing the forum for a month or so and it's become more addicting than the infamous MySpace. |
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 1751 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.221.95.23
| Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 1:33 pm: | |
It is addicting. And very useful if you want to be ahead of the curve in terms of knowing what's going on in Detroit (i.e. development), even though I believe we aren't being as productive in this pursuite as we were last year. Looking at that pdf, I think what they identify as corridor 1 needs some serious work. Now, the part that is convertable is quite short, only from Jefferson to the river, but when you see it in person, you notice that it takes up some prime real estate. (as an aside, somewhere I heard that those rails are still used, very infrequently, by some sort of industrial waste facility down near the 'Two Brothers') That big field on the south side of Jefferson (technically owned by Chysler) is really annoying. Then there is the vacant Continental Tire plant. We all know that the East Riverfront from downtown past the Belle Isle bridge is about to boom. The stretch from Dickerson to Alter is showing signs of life, and all the components of a turnaround are in place. But that intermediate stretch near 'Corridor 1' marks an area that needs work. There have been threads within the past year where we got some solid info from people (especially those knowledgeable about the use of the tracks in Detroit these days) on the uses of these old rail cuts on the east side, and where we addressed the issues of this corridor 1 area in general. I'll try to search for these threads. |
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 1753 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 69.221.95.23
| Posted on Thursday, June 15, 2006 - 2:23 pm: | |
ah yes, here's a good thread were we discussed blighted rail lines: https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/36206/42766.html |