With countless bicycles, vendors, organizations and over 2,000 attendees, it's safe to say Detroit Bike City 2013 was a hit. Our staff went to get the scoop on the latest in Michigan cycling.
The event began with a pre-party Friday night, “Tweed City,” hosted at the Fillmore and State Bar. Guests were encouraged to wear tweed as they mingled with fellow bicyclists, listened to the musical stylings of DJ Richie Wohlfeil, The Juliets and The High Strung, viewed vintage bicycles and enjoyed an open bar.
The Detroit Bike City Show began Saturday at 10am at Cobo Center where co-founders Jason Hall and Mike MacKool could be spotted mingling with fellow bicyclists and event staff. Vendors and bicycle groups filled the large hall with every kind of bicycle, part, and accessory imaginable. Bicycle companies from all over the state gathered to show off their latest in bicycle designs from Bike Shop in Ferndale, Shinola in Detroit, Sweet Bikes in Canton to Tree Fort Bikes in Ypsilanti and Velocity USA in Grand Rapids. If you enjoy building bicycles as much as you do riding them TechShop offers classes and equipment for those with the desire to design. Their staff was on site providing information on classes and demos on bike building. There was also a plethora of groups and organizations such as the Michigan Bicycle Racing Association (MBRA), Tour De Troit, Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance (MTGA), Motor City Brew Tours and the League of Michigan Bicyclists (LMB) providing information on legal issues, tours, and upcoming events.
As Detroit issues in a new horizon cyclists see the future of city bicycling gaining more representation and in turn, developing safer roadways. Detroit Bike City hosted a panel discussion with speakers from Detroit who are heavily involved in city transportation and planning. Led by Nancy Krupiarz, Executive Director of MTGA, the panel consisted of Todd Scott, Detroit Coordinator for MTGA, Myra Tetteh, Detroit Complete Streets Coalition Coordinator for the Detroit Food and Fitness Collaborative, and Elizabeth Horvat, Community Liaison for Programs to Educate All Cyclists. The discussion centered on the need for bicycle lanes throughout the city. There is a new surge of cycling happening throughout metro Detroit causing city councils and organizations to respond with support for bicycling communities. The purpose of providing bicycle lanes, as Myra Tetteh explains, “it's not about just smacking a bike lane on Evergreen Street in the city, it's about getting people outside, getting people active, getting people healthier and getting the community out there and moving. Be a part of the comeback that the city will experience.”
All the speakers support the efforts of Michigan Complete Streets Coalition, which ensures that engineers and city planners design roadways that accommodate all users and provide safe roadways for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit users, and those with disabilities. The coalition has begun to make headway with 70 miles of Complete Streets design being implemented in the city of Detroit.
This is a great step in the right direction for safer streets, however as Todd Scott explains, it is only the beginning, “there are more issues with public lighting or stray dogs or abandon houses. You can put a new sidewalk in front of a house with abandon activities going on, people aren't going to walk; it's not safe.”
The public can support the efforts of the coalition by contacting their local government with phone calls and letters stressing the importance of safe roadways, but also by getting out there and riding. Todd Scott explains that “the best way is to have a lot more people biking. People will automatically change their driving habits because they expect us everywhere. It's when you're that occasional cyclist that no one is expecting; that's the problem.”
Events such as Detroit Bike City and organizations like the Michigan Complete Streets Coalition bring the realization that we've been “so busy putting out all the fires that we're not focused on the future,” as Myra Tetteh stated. These groups are advancing the future of Detroit closer to the present day.
