Seward Bikeway

[John E]

$1 million bikeway set to proceed on Grand Rapids' West Side

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2013/11/1_million_bikeway_set_to_proce.html

I noticed that Freewheeler donated to this project.

[JoeSchmo]

Are there any rumors of future plans to connect this to the Musketawa?

 

I know there is an unpaved trail (old railroad bed) behind Richmond Park that runs west to Walker Ave.  Also a connection could potentially run parallel to the rail line that Musketawa also runs along directly to this new connection trail.  

 

http://goo.gl/maps/U74zI

[fotoman311]

Are there any rumors of future plans to connect this to the Musketawa?

 

I know there is an unpaved trail (old railroad bed) behind Richmond Park that runs west to Walker Ave.  Also a connection could potentially run parallel to the rail line that Musketawa also runs along directly to this new connection trail.  

 

http://goo.gl/maps/U74zI

 

Kent County Parks is working on this key connection, although not along the exact corridor you site.  They have a federal Transportation Alternatives, http://www.advocacyadvance.org/site_images/content/map_21_infographic.pdf, grant from GVMC (our local Metro Planning Org or MPO, that disburses federal transportation dollars).  Last I heard they were still determining the local match.  This will cover the segment from Meijer HQ to Alpine Ave.  They are also working on the final segment from Alpine Ave and 3 Mile down to North Park where the White Pine Trail begins.

 

This will provide a connection to the Seward Ave Bikeway via Riverside Park, but obviously won't be as direct a route as if they were able to follow all the way down the rail ROW you mentioned.

 

Here's the summary on the 6 projects that are getting the GVMC's share of that Transporation Alternatives funding.  As shown in the infographic, Michigan has a specific pot of TA money and 50% of that is disbursed to all the local MPOs based on a population formula and the rest is competitively bid out to projects across the state.  My understanding is that this statewide 50% is where the federal/MDOT funding for the Seward Ave project is coming from. http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2013/09/6_trails_in_kent_ottawa_counti.html

[Veloise]

...

I know there is an unpaved trail (old railroad bed) behind Richmond Park that runs west to Walker Ave.  Also a connection could potentially run parallel to the rail line that Musketawa also runs along directly to this new connection trail.  

 

http://goo.gl/maps/U74zI

At a meeting some years back, it was revealed that there are land use encroachments on that RR R-O-W that would throw up huge challenges to a rail-trail.

[Raildudes dad]

At a meeting some years back, it was revealed that there are land use encroachments on that RR R-O-W that would throw up huge challenges to a rail-trail.

 

Several locations are in unfriendly private ownership.  There is a sanitary sewer easement in the same area that could have been used but several property owners again specifically had trail use excluded.  The other problem with this corridor is the east end. There is the active RR line with CSX that can't be crossed except at a public street and there is no room for a non motorized trail on Alpine or Ann Streets.

 

The 10 foot wide sidewalk along 3 Mile Road from Meijer Headquarters to Alpine is less than ideal but is the best route of all the options explored.  The trail will continue east on 3 Mile to the end and then in an easement from the end of 3 Mile over to EB I-96 ramp to SB 131 ROW to Hillside Drive to Lankamp to West River Drive.  It will use the old RR ROW along West River from Lankamp N to the parking lot at West Rive Dr and North Park Street and the existing trail. It would be nice to go south along the old RR ROW to Ann St and the "Seward" trail but south of Turner is owned by the NS RR and they will not allow a trail in that ROW.