--This article originally appeared on April 16, 2009
Soon all bus riders in Southeast Michigan will have a place to park their bikes when they get on a local transit system.
The Detroit Department of Transportation will equip all of its buses with bike racks this year, joining SMART and the Ann Arbor Transit Authority. The $680,110 project is paid mostly with federal transportation funds funneled through the state.
Transportation Riders United, a local mass transit advocate, hailed the improvement as a way of connecting more transportation options in Metro Detroit. The lack of these options and connections has held the region back, in the view of TRU's leadership.
"If a bus doesn’t come within a few blocks of your house, it's not an attractive option," says Megan Owens, executive director of Transportation Riders United. "If you can ride your bike a mile or two to a bus, then it becomes a much more attractive option."
Incorporating more options for bicyclists has been a major goal for both TRU and local leaders. SMART and AATA added the bike racks a few years ago to help boost ridership. They have enjoyed significant use as more and more Metro Detroiters took to two wheels, especially as gas prices went higher.
They are also looking at making the proposed Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail and Woodward light rail lines bicycle-friendly.
"That's the ultimate goal, is to have many different ways to get around," Owens says.
Source: State of Michigan and Megan Owens, executive director of the Transportation Riders United
Writer: Jon Zemke
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