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Emu_steve
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Username: Emu_steve

Post Number: 261
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 7:18 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

http://www.modeldmedia.com/dev elopmentnews/default.aspx

Second story for May 1 is a ped. walkway along Cass/Kirby/Canfield, etc.

More and more is happening in the WSU area.
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Apbest
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Username: Apbest

Post Number: 527
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 8:38 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

permanent link

http://www.modeldmedia.com/dev elopmentnews/midtownloop9207.a spx

Im confused as to exactly what this will look like though? will it enhance the Cass streetscape?
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Charlottepaul
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Username: Charlottepaul

Post Number: 884
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 8:39 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The midtown cultural walkway. It does seem to be interesting, although it is a tough sell on me until I get to see the proposed route.
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Emu_steve
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Username: Emu_steve

Post Number: 262
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 9:27 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I think I've seen this type of streetscaping in several places with wrought iron benches, acorn lights, brick paved sidewalks, etc.

very nice.

This one seemingly will have a different look and feel but should be very nice.

DaninDC probably has seen this kind of stuff in Old Town Alexandria (one of several places I've seen it) and is placed in high traffic areas where there are the quaint shops, etc.
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Royce
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Username: Royce

Post Number: 2217
Registered: 07-2004
Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 1:53 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I hope those "bollards" aren't those giant "tree planters" that lined lower Woodward for so many years.

BTW, the guy in Corktown should allow one of the lofts to share a view of Michigan Ave. I would not spend good money to live in an apt/loft that faces the alley. Sorry.

(Message edited by royce on May 01, 2007)
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Jt1
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Username: Jt1

Post Number: 8990
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 2:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Now call me stupid but aren't sidewalks walkways? Anyone know what the total figure for this will end up?

I am all for infrastructure improvement but I think cleaning up what is already there would be a more immediate benefit.
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Emu_steve
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Username: Emu_steve

Post Number: 263
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 3:01 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I've seen some of this in the county where I live.

They spent a couple millions on ripping out and replacing sidewalks with brick, buried overhead power cables, built bus shelters, and very, very nice landscaping.

Quite frankly it really made a 50 year old area look about 20 years old.

It was very well received and considered a good investment in terms of updating the area. They want to do phase II.

I'm a big fan of this type of streetscape.

It works even better where there are quaint shops or places like WSU which generates a lot of foot traffic.

I'd have to have a really good visual image of the cass/canfield/kirby area to see how it would fit in.
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Jt1
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Username: Jt1

Post Number: 8995
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 3:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I didn't realize that it had to do with infrastructure improvements like sidewalks and utilities. That is good to hear.
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Emu_steve
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Username: Emu_steve

Post Number: 264
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 5:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

here is a description of one from a newspaper:

"the latest round of improvements included the addition of brick sidewalks and crosswalks, acorn-shaped street lamps and the undergrounding of utility cables. New bus shelters, public benches, trash receptacles, plantings and road signs welcoming visitors to the... Village Centre were part of improvements installed in earlier years."

Might also add they took down those traffic signals hung on wire between two poles and now have a pole and a crossbeam type pole. Neat!!!

There is a lot which can be down with streetscape if the $ and imagination is there.
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Charlottepaul
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Username: Charlottepaul

Post Number: 891
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Tuesday, May 01, 2007 - 5:50 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Emu_steve said, "Might also add they took down those traffic signals hung on wire between two poles and now have a pole and a crossbeam type pole. Neat!!!"

Not to jack the thread too much, but why are they doing the opposite throughout most other areas of the city: replacing the traffic lights on the poles with ones hanging from wires?
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Charlottepaul
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Username: Charlottepaul

Post Number: 926
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 12:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

http://www.detroitrising.com/i mages/greenway1.jpg
http://www.detroitrising.com/i mages/greenway2.jpg

This image shows the route of the greenway:
http://www.detroitrising.com/i mages/greenway3.jpg
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Apbest
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Username: Apbest

Post Number: 533
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 12:06 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

http://www.detroitrising.com/i mages/greenway1.jpg
http://www.detroitrising.com/i mages/greenway2.jpg
http://www.detroitrising.com/i mages/greenway3.jpg
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Apbest
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Username: Apbest

Post Number: 534
Registered: 03-2006
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 12:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

damn you
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Emu_steve
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Username: Emu_steve

Post Number: 270
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 1:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Very impressive images!!! That route is great.

Never thought streetscaping could look so good.

Very impressive that two posters, working independently, would find and post the same JPGs from the same site at the same hour and minute in a thread that is over 24 hours old... ;-)
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Upinottawa
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Username: Upinottawa

Post Number: 830
Registered: 09-2005
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 1:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If the streetscaping looks anything like Old Town Alexandria, that would be wonderful.
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Focusonthed
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Username: Focusonthed

Post Number: 944
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 1:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

Not to jack the thread too much, but why are they doing the opposite throughout most other areas of the city: replacing the traffic lights on the poles with ones hanging from wires?


Charlottepaul, you're confusing lights mounted on vertical poles with lights hung from a crossbeam, like they do it in most of the country except Michigan.

For instance:


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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 4233
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 1:58 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Why am I haunted by images of failed 1970's attempts at steetscapes, such as Washington Blvd., Woodward at Grand Blvd., Gratiot at 7 Mile, McNichols near Marygrove College?

And by that I mean... decorative sidewalks... trees that will be ripped out when they get too big (or when building owners complain that their building signs are obstructed by the trees growing too tall).

The tall grasses probably will hide the litter that will be tossed there when the nearby garbage can remain overflowing with litter.

Mercifully there are no plexiglass tinted canopies showing in these renderings.

I remember getting excited back in the 1970's when those other scemes came to fruition. Now, I refuse to get sucked in again.

Just add some attractive sidewalks and lighting and maybe some trees that won't get ripped out when they get too big, and leave the other gimmicks on the failed trash heap of history.

Sorry to sound pessimistic, but we've been here before...
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Charlottepaul
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Username: Charlottepaul

Post Number: 927
Registered: 10-2006
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 2:14 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Street-scapes generally need to be redone every 30 years or so.
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J_to_the_jeremy
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Username: J_to_the_jeremy

Post Number: 10
Registered: 03-2007
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 2:17 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I agree with Gistok, but it's still nice to see ideas bounced around.
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Gravitymachine
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Username: Gravitymachine

Post Number: 1629
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 2:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

quote:

Just add some attractive sidewalks and lighting and maybe some trees that won't get ripped out when they get too big, and leave the other gimmicks on the failed trash heap of history.



agreed
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Gistok
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Username: Gistok

Post Number: 4234
Registered: 08-2004
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 3:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

OK... I just reread the article....

A couple of points... those "bollards" look like they will replace street parking along one side of the road, and the colorful stained walkways will jut out into the street (at 12 foot wide, it sure would seem so).

Is eliminating roadside parking along one side of the roadway going to be good for businesses along the route?

And those grasses.... on strong windy days, those grasses will become "litter catchers". I don't like the idea of that at all.

And then there's planters.... I have visions of those planters along East Jefferson near the Grosse Pointe border. They had trees planted in them, and I don't ever recall seeing flowers planted there as well. I do recall seeing them choked with liter. So unless the UCCA plans on doing daily gardening maintenance, I don't think that will do too well either.

But the bottom line is this... who will maintain this area? If it's the city, then they needn't bother... If it's the UCCA, well then I'll give them the benefit of the doubt... but nix the litter catching grasses, unless they do frequent maintenance there as well.

And as for the rainbow colors of stained cement... why does it remind me of Alex Pollock and the Eastern Market Sheds? :-)
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Russix
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Username: Russix

Post Number: 6
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Thursday, May 03, 2007 - 7:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Riding a bike on sidewalks in the city is not a good idea. Roads are unintentionally cleaned by rain and traffic brushing glass and debris out of the way. Sidewalks are constantly supplied with broken glass from bottles and car break-ins. Brick makes excellent broken glass reservoirs. Now riding my bike around this area will be compounded by riding in narrower streets with more obstacles. It looks good on paper, but adding 12 feet to a 10 foot or more wide sidewalk is not a necessity. How about some sort of transit option around midtown so these large institutions can consolidate their parking?
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Irish_mafia
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Username: Irish_mafia

Post Number: 889
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Saturday, May 05, 2007 - 12:04 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The drawings created the same concerns for me as for the other posters.

I see a side walk next to a sidewalk with tall grass in between reducing parking spaces in the area.

Clean up the existing sidewalks, make use of the streetscape that is in place with updated shrubbery (as M Python would say) and move on

It is an urban setting. Celebrate it it without trying to reinvent it.....No more Washington Blvd. fiascos.
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Fishtoes2000
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Username: Fishtoes2000

Post Number: 200
Registered: 06-2005
Posted on Saturday, May 05, 2007 - 12:46 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I just uploaded an overview map of the loop and it's planned connection to the Dequindre Cut via Brush Park. You can click on the map to get the larger version.
http://www.m-bike.org/gallery/ m-bike/DetroitTrails
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Emu_steve
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Username: Emu_steve

Post Number: 273
Registered: 11-2006
Posted on Saturday, May 05, 2007 - 7:13 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Read through these posts in the thread.

I hope this works out well despite the fears.

As I've indicated a few times in this thread I HAVE seen very successful streetscaping (it isn't rocket science) near me.

I even have a favorable press account in one post.

No reason not to do it and no reason to do it wrong (if others have done it right).

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