A friend and active community member, Fred Bauries, mentioned that there was some discussion (and interest) in the 4 to 3 lane conversion at a recent City Council meeting.  Fred lives on Hagadorn.

 

He said that there is an opportunity to bring this issue up at an upcoming Council worksession next Tuesday, September 13th.  This will be held at 7pm in City Hall Conference Room A (2nd floor).  Now is the time to contact the Council person about your perspectives on this issue.   

 

Please write them at council@cityofeastlansing.com to express your views on this subject.

 

If you can make the work session (which I can't because I teach a class that evening), that's great too!

 

Again, it seems like the timing is very right for this.  Fuel prices, the growing awareness of health and safety issues, the track record of "road diets," the aesthetic and environmental issues all add to a win-win-win.  To add "fuel to the fire"  Dan Burden will be in town doing a walkability audit of E. Grand River between Bogue and Hagadorn on Sept. 20!  (see e-mail pasted below).  He co-authored the "Road Diets" excerpt I shared at:  http://www.re-news.net/walk/road_diets.htm

 

Thanks for listening,

 

LeRoy

 

 

___________________________________

 

 

Greetings,

As you know, East Lansing has been selected by the State as a "Cool
Cities" recipient.  In participation with that program the Michigan
Department of Transportation (MDOT) is providing walkability Audits to
all Cool Cities recipients this month.  East Lansing's walkability audit
will focus on East Grand River Avenue, between Bogue Street and Hagadorn
Road. 

You are invited to attend a presentation by Dan Burden, Executive
Director of Walkable Communities, Inc (www.walkable.org) at 6:30 PM on
Tuesday September 20, in courtroom 2 at the East Lansing City Hall, 410
Abbott Road.  Mr. Burden is a nationally recognized authority on
alternative transportation facilities, traffic calming and sustainable
community design.  He will evaluate both the positive and negative
conditions on East Grand River Avenue as well as the proposed plans for
improvement.  Recommendations will be made on: sidewalks, accessibility,
street crossings, parking, tree canopy, building placement,
restorations, street design and land use patterns.  We hope to see you
there.

In addition to facilitating the presentation, Mr. Burden will host a
small group of approximately 20 interested community members on a walk
of the area at 3:30 on September 20.  If you are interested in
participating in the walk, please email, lmullin@cityofeastlansing.com
to inquire about availability and meeting location. 


Lori Mullins, RLA
Senior Project Manager
City of East Lansing
(517) 319-6887