Michigan Avenue in Corktown
Michigan Avenue in Corktown
Detroit for far too long has given short shrift to the pedestrian. The car trumps all in the Motor City.
Now comes this very interesting proposal, "Open Streets Detroit," being driven by the nonprofit Downtown Detroit Partnership.
Louis Aguilar of the Detroit News reports:
Detroit may find out this fall, when a program called Open Streets aims to temporarily convert a 3.7-mile stretch of Michigan Avenue and Vernor Highway — from Campus Martius to Corktown and Mexicantown — into a pedestrian-and-bike-only zone. If the city and state gives permission, the two major thoroughfares would be shut for several hours, from noon to 5 p.m., on two consecutive Sundays, organizers said. The planned dates are Sept. 25 and Oct. 2.
Michigan Avenue is the heart of Corktown’s dense scene of restaurants and bars. Vernor is the main business corridor for the Mexicantown community. If the 100-plus cities around the world already participating in the idea are any guide, many Detroit residents and businesses will embrace the car-less streets to walk, jog and bike in the middle of road.
They inspire local businesses to set up sidewalk booths. Musicians play. Yoga and other exercise classes are held on the street along with other family-friendly activities. A street-fair atmosphere takes root, with the actual street and the community it supports as the focus.
