Planning Detroit’s Conner Creek Greenway: Attracting Eastside Neighbors Regina Ann Campbell - Jazmin Marie Casas - Lindsay-Jean Hard Jenifer Huestis - Howard Karp - Mitchell Wimbish Department of Urban and Regional Planning - University of Michigan 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures 4 Acknowledgements 5 Introduction 6 History 9 Site Analysis 14 • Demographics 15 • Community Assets 18 • Public Transportation 20 Community Involvement 23 Greenway Precedents 27 Route 32 Design 38 • CPTED 39 • Lighting 39 • Plantings 41 • Signage 42 • Surfacing 44 • Nodes and Amenities 47 Maintenance 50 Programming 54 Conclusion 58 Team Biographies, Bibliography, and Figure Sources 61 Appendices 67 • A: Greenway Background and Literature Review 68 • B: Demographic Change Over Time Tables 70 • C: Community Assets Table 72 • D: After School Programs Table 77 • E: Transit Coverage Table 78 • F: Recommended Lighting Levels Table 79 • G: Surfacing Typology 80 • H: Urban Greenway Precedents Table 81 3 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Greenway Reference Map 6 Figure 2: 1915 Plan of Detroit 9 Figure 3: Historical Sanborn Map 10 Figure 4: Historical Conner Creek 11 Figure 5: Joe Randazzo’s Market 14 Figure 6: Median Household Income 17 Figure 7: Percentage of African American Residents 17 Figure 8: Percentage of Population between the Ages of 5 – 17 17 Figure 9: Percentage of Population Aged 65 and Over 18 Figure 10: Churches within the Study Area 19 Figure 11: Educational Resources within the Study Area 19 Figure 12: Key Nodes and Common Areas 20 Figure 13: Detroit Bus Lines in Study Area 21 Figure 14: Detroit Bus System Ridership 22 Figure 15: Detroit Bus System Ridership Chart 22 Figure 16: Planting Buffer for Greenway Users 23 Figure 17: Mural Wall in Battle Creek Linear Park 27 Figure 18: Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail Street Crossing 28 Figure 19: Bulb-out in Vancouver, Canada 28 Figure 20: Greenway in Tsukuba, Japan 29 Figure 21: New York City’s Hudson River Park – Lighting 29 Figure 22: New York City’s Hudson River Park – Trail Surface 30 Figure 23: Conner Creek Greenway Route 31 Figure 24: Eastern View of Clairpointe Approaching Jefferson 32 Figure 25: Eastern View of Conner between Jefferson and Mack 32 Figure 26: Looking East across Conner at Warren 33 Figure 27: Clearly Marked Crosswalks and Curbcuts 33 Figure 28: Bridge Crossing I-94 Freeway 33 Figure 29: Crossing Conner at Corbett Street 34 Figure 30: Clearly Marked Crosswalk 35 Figure 31: Pedestrian Right-of-Way Crosswalk 36 Figure 32: Street Narrowing, Medians and Sidewalks 36 Figure 33: Native Tree Species Buffer 37 Figure 34: Desirable and Undesirable Lighting Patterns 39 Figure 35: Desirable and Undesirable Lighting Heights 40 Figure 36: Example of an Informational – Directional Sign 42 Figure 37: Example of an Educational – Interpretive Sign 43 Figure 38: CVS Historical Photograph Display 43 Figure 39: Shopping Plaza in McKinney, Texas 44 Figure 40: Example of Festival Sign 44 Figure 41: Curb-cuts to Increase Accessibility 45 Figure 42: Comparison of Trail Surfaces Table 45 Figure 43: Example of Asphalt Surfacing 46 Figure 44: Example of Concrete Surfacing 46 Figure 45: Example of Pervious Asphalt Surfacing 46 Figure 46: Design Concept for Node at Warren Conner Shopping Plaza 47 Figure 47: Design Concept for Node at Lipke Park 48 Figure 48: Design Concept for Node at Chandler Park 49 Figure 49: Design Concept for the Intersection of Conner and Gratiot 49 Figure 50: Community Participation with Maintenance 50 Figure 51: Suggested Greenway Maintenance Schedule 53 Figure 52: Bike Decorating Contest 54 Figure 53: Enhanced Natural Beauty 58 Figure 54: Plantings with Desirable Traits 60 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Members of the Detroit Eastside Community Collaborative (DECC) Greenway Committee, especially John Ballard, Patricia Bosch, Maggie DeSantis, and Libby Pachota Healthy Environments Partnership – Amy Schulz and Sheryl Weir University of Michigan School of Public Heath students – Erica Bolinger, Elina Bradfi eld, Katie Loveland, and Marianna Sachse Christopher Coutts, University of Michigan, Department of Urban and Regional Planning , Donna Erickson, University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources and Environment Gregory Parrish, City of Detroit Planning and Development Department Henry Guthard, DECC Project Director Lisa Jaroch, Hamilton-Anderson Associates Norman Cox, Greenway Collaborative Sonya Grant-Pierson, Rebuilding Communities, Inc. Participants in the City of Detroit Greenway Charrette (March 28, 2006) Funding provided by: The Lean & Green in Motown Program, a project directed by the Healthy Environments Partnership, a community based participatory research project funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ “Health Disparities Initiative.” 5 INTRODUCTION Figure 1: Greenway Reference Map 6 The idea for the Conner Creek Greenway stemmed other leisure activities. However, a greenway in from the memories of a creek that ran along Conner an urban setting, such as Detroit, is not completely Street and connected to the Detroit River, during green and may include signifi cant portions of the early 1900s. From its early-recorded years the neighborhood sidewalk (Refer to Appendix A for Conner Creek area was used for recreation and further information). transportation. Its natural surroundings made it an ideal place to play and collect wild fruits and nuts. It In an effort to understand the surrounding greenway was a site of early grain mills, serving local farms and context we selected a sub-area based upon the transporting goods out to the river. Later it became a distance that potential users would travel to reach the site of heavy industry. In addition, a large portion of trail. Our study area is as: Eight Mile Road (N), the this area was used for Detroit’s fi rst airport, which is Detroit River (S), Mt. Elliot (W), and Chalmers (E). still in use to this day. As with the rest of the City of Our route selection focused on identifying the safest Detroit, the auto industry had a dramatic effect on the road crossing points, connecting the Greenway with eastside with plant openings and closings. Massive existing community assets, and providing unifying suburban growth decreased the area’s population. elements along the path to enhance the sense of All the while, the creek was increasingly confi ned cohesion. underground until only the segment near the river was exposed. In an effort to make suggestions for the development and design of the greenway, we consulted with The vision for the Conner Creek Greenway will pay community residents. We reviewed the fi ndings homage to this natural and historical heritage but also of eight focus groups conducted by the Healthy provide a recreational space for visitors to use after Environments Partnership (HEP). In addition, we work, exercise, relax, connect to community assets, met with community leaders involved with DECC or simple enjoy programming along the greenway. and participated in the Citywide Greenway Charrette The initial planning for this greenway began through that was hosted by the Planning and Development the Detroit Eastside Community Collaborative Department for the City of Detroit. Also, using (DECC), which is comprised of community leaders guidelines from the Crime Prevention through from various organizations. According to their Environmental Design Organization (CPTED) we grant application, DECC had four major goals: 1) to focused on neighborhood safety. provide an opportunity for safe non-motorized travel, 2) enhance the natural landscape, 3) create an After a semester of planning, designing, programming awareness of their cultural heritage, and 4) improve and researching we created recommendations for economic development. These goals will be attained future development phases of the greenway. First, through community efforts, collaboration with implement programming based on neighborhood businesses and participation from the community. context. For example, on the north end of the greenway, the majority of youth is clustered in this area In this report, we will introduce the development therefore activities such as concerts and art projects for the Greenway located on the eastside. As a would be appropriate. Second, lighting, planting, professional project from the University of Michigan, and signage selection should be based on CPTED we worked on the physical design of the greenway, principles as a strategy to promote neighborhood researched its history, determined major nodes of safety. Community members emphasized the activities, programming and came up with ideas importance of maintaining an attractive and clean for creative maintenance strategies. But what is a path in order to attract users. Third, due to limited greenway and what is its function on a larger scale? resources, creative maintenance strategies will be necessary. For example, an Adopt-a-Greenway A greenway is a network of non-motorized trails program would involve local businesses along the and open spaces that links neighborhoods and greenway to help maintain a discrete segment. In destinations. These destinations include parks, turn, a pleasant looking greenway would increase schools, medical clinics, libraries and shopping property value and help generate clientele for centers. They permit walking, jogging, rollerblading, local businesses. Fourth, a greenway will enhance biking, meditation and engaged walking, as well as community identity. Finally, connecting the greenway 7 Conner Creek Greenway Plan to the riverfront would benefi t visitors