TheMichigan Department of Transportation is currently seeking public input on a draft of its North Region Active Transportation Plan, which will highlight current and proposed nonmotorized connections throughout the northernmost 21 counties of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
[Above photo by Michigan DOT]
The agency said it worked with the Northeast Michigan Council of Governments (NEMCOG), private firm Networks Northwest, and local communities throughout those 21 counties to develop this plan, which will formally “assemble” both current and future separated pathways, bike lanes, wide shoulders, sidewalk connections, and regional trails into a single system.
Michigan DOT said the current draft of the plan will be available through May 17 for public feedback.
The agency added that the overarching goal of this plan is to provide safe places for state residents and visitors to walk or bike; increase opportunities for improved health and wellbeing; access to recreational areas throughout the northern portion of lower Michigan; and spur the use of alternative forms of transportation for travel.
“This plan will be used to guide decision-making and development of future active transportation facilities,” said Heidi Phaneuf, Michigan DOT’s North Region planner, in a statement.
“We are thankful for the support of all the trail groups, local governments, transportation agencies and tribal partners that helped in the development of this plan – sharing their visions that were woven together into this document,” she noted.
State departments of transportation across the country are involved in similar active transportation planning efforts.
For example, in September 2024, the Maryland Department of Transportation began developing what it calls a “landmark action plan” to improve and expand trail connectivity statewide.
The agency said this plan will guide future investment in shared-use paths, helping to advance efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, boost alternatives to driving, and prioritize the safety of all road users across the transportation network.
In May 2024, the Utah Department of Transportation issued nearly $95 million to support 19 trail projects – including the construction of new paved trails as well as funding for planning efforts to fill in existing trail gaps – as part of creating a regional “Utah Trail Network” across the state.
The agency said that it collaborated with communities statewide regarding the allocation of that funding – approved by the Utah Transportation Commission – to select the key projects for this statewide trail network.
Additionally, the Texas Department of Transportation is developing a Statewide Active Transportation Plan or SATP to gather recommendations for improving bicycling, walking, and rolling conditions across the Lone Star state.
TxDOT noted the SATP is being integrated with its other long-range mobility plans to help it maintain a safe, accessible, connected, and fully integrated multimodal transportation system for the future, since the population of Texas is expected to grow by 28 percent by 2050.
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