Amanda Forrester / news@whmi.com

You can help shape the future of biking, walking and rolling in MDOT’s University Region.

The region includes Clinton, Eaton, Ingham, Hillsdale, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, Monroe and Washtenaw Counties.

The draft, made up of two parts, highlights both current and proposed conditions for people who use nonmotorized transportation.

The MDOT University Region Active Transportation Plan focuses on improving active transportation options in the area, with a focus on accessibility, safety and connectivity. According to a press release from MDOT, the Active Transportation Plan will increase safety for people who aren’t using vehicles. The corridors aren’t intended to be a prescriptive plan, but instead a guiding framework to identify areas that will allow for better nonmotorized connections in the region.

The MDOT University Region Road and Trail Bicycling Guide, which serves as a resource for people to identify comfortable cycling routes, including on-road and trail connections in the area.

The proposed corridors were selected using a process that focused on four analyses of existing ones. These areas are: crashes, demographics, demand and traffic stress. “These analyses highlight where investments in active transportation could yield the most benefits and offer a starting point for planning regional connectivity.”

Officials said once the public comment period ends, both parts of the draft will have additional formatting and finalization for distribution completed.

There has been a lot of debate in Michigan, especially in the Metro Detroit and southeast areas, about the lack of public transportation and safe nonmotorized trails. Many communities have begun making investments locally to support such measures, including increased bike lanes and safer crosswalks.

The public comment opens on Wednesday and closes Aug. 13. We have the link to view the drafts and submit comments below. Public comments can also be emailed to MDOT-Contact-UniversityRegion@Michigan.gov or by mailing them to Mike Davis Jr., MDOT University Region Planner, 4701 W. Michigan Ave., Jackson, MI 49201.

(photo credit: MDOT)