Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Bicycle Pedestrian Plan topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City presentation outlines priorities and timeline for Monroe's Bicycle & Pedestrian Trails Master Plan
Summary
Deputy director Matt Vanesacker updated council on the Bicycle & Pedestrian Trails Master Plan (adopted Jan. 17, 2023), highlighted priority corridors (North Dixie, LaPleasants, Jones, North Custer), and gave timelines for the Monroe Loop Greenway Trail design (August 2025 bid) and anticipated spring 2026 construction.
Deputy director Matt Vanesacker presented the Bicycle & Pedestrian Trails Master Plan and a summary of committee priorities developed since the plan's adoption in January 2023.
"The goal of the plan was to focus on network development and connectivity, specifically regional connectivity," Vanesacker said, walking council through six recommendation areas that include on-street bike lanes, shared lanes, paved shoulders, off-road shared-use paths and pedestrian amenities.
Vanesacker identified several priority corridors for sidewalk and bike-lane implementation: North Dixie Highway, 1st Street, Jones Avenue, LaPleasants Road, Kentucky Avenue and North Custer Road. Multi-jurisdictional gaps (for example along Telegraph Road and South Custer) were called out as areas requiring coordination with Frenchtown and Monroe Charter townships and the Monroe County Road Commission.
On the Monroe Loop Greenway Trail, Vanesacker said the city received a SPARK grant for design development and aimed for an August 2025 bid and a spring 2026 construction period, noting staff were finalizing easement agreements.
The bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee has also been active on education and outreach, assisting with crosswalk painting, summer concerts and social-media safety material. Vanesacker encouraged public involvement; the committee meets monthly and has engaged engineering consultants (Mannik and Smith Group) for technical work.
Council asked about e-bike policy and enforcement. Vanesacker said Michigan law distinguishes e-bike classes and that city park rules currently prohibit e-bike use on trail networks; the committee is consulting public safety staff to craft practical recommendations about regulation versus enforcement.
What happens next: staff will continue easement work and design development for the Monroe Loop Greenway Trail, report on specific pedestrian-signal locations under consideration (including a proposed signal on West Elm), and return to council as projects and funding moves into the city's capital-improvement program.
