The Ann Arbor City Parks system is an amazing collection of natural areas.  Many are centered on the Huron River.  And many are being connected by trails and other greenspace.

This appreciation of the outdoors has led to some conflicts.  One of the longest-running is the conflict between automobiles and pedestrians/cyclists on Huron River Drive.

It’s no surprise that there would be conflicts on this road.  The road is built on a very thin strip of land that lies between the hills carved out by the river and the river itself.  This means that there is very little room for a wide road shoulder.  Bikes and cars/walkers essentially share the same space.

The situation becomes more problematic when you consider the curvy nature of the road.  A driver completing a curve may have little warning that a cyclist lies just ahead.  For years, drivers and cyclists have had an uneasy truce.

However, the situation is in a period of flux.  Huron River Drive is falling apart and needs to be rebuilt.  So, the city has been trying to figure out what the best future course of the road should be.

One option is to simply rebuild the road.  This is problematic because federal funding requires metal crash barriers that are unsightly and space-consuming.  The old biker/car conflicts would also not be addressed.  Drainage is also an issue.

Another option is to close the road on weekends to allow pedestrians use of the upgraded road.  A third option is to close the road to cars altogether.  This option would unite a wide assortment of parks in the area, but also make it more difficult for area residents to move about.

On Saturday, the City of Ann Arbor held something of an open house to educate the community about the options regarding the road.  Hikers, bikers and concerned residents were able to walk the roadway without the danger of cars.  I couldn’t miss a chance like this, so I showed up too.

And it was GREAT!  The area around the drive is almost completely parkland.  So, the lack of cars made the road extremely quiet.  I saw the high bluffs of the river and watched the river flow.  Every once in awhile the whirr of a bike passed by.

After reaching the Barton Park Dam, I hiked through Barton Park on the other side of the river.  The trails were well-defined.  This is not surprising considering the heavy use that Ann Arborites get from their parks.

After about three miles of walking, I was back to my car in nearby Bandemer Park.  It was a really nice hike.

Some thoughts:  Whether Ann Arbor decides to close the road or not, this area is a great place to hike.  If a hiker wants to hike a long distance, there is essentially continuous trail from Bird Hills Park in the west to Parker Mill and Forest Parks on the east side of Ann Arbor.  I’ve even scouted routes through Ypsilanti out to the Ford Lake area.  Almost all of it is at least on a sidewalk.  Only a small gap from there blocks a hiker from walking all the way to Lake Erie via the Metro Parks trail system.

But I would hope that Ann Arborites also think about the role they play in Michigan’s land use planning.  Ann Arbor is the best-case scenario.  It is a city with money, low unemployment and a diversified economy.  It also has residents who love parks and greenspace.

If decisions aren’t made favoring the environment and pedestrians in Ann Arbor, those kinds of decisions are unlikely to be made elsewhere.  Ann Arbor can be something of a laboratory for ideal park and environment planning.  When surrounding areas see the results, they might be more likely to plan in a similar manner.

That’s not to say that Huron River Drive should be closed.  But it does mean that the decision has more riding on it than a two mile stretch of road would indicate.

Here’s the route of my hike:

http://maps.live.com/?v=2&cid=628A87FDBE3AF2A!195&encType=1

Here’s the map that the city engineers passed out at the open house:

http://extremesouthmichigan.blogspot.com/2007/04/barton-park-area-map-ann-arbor.html

Here’s the description of Barton Park:

http://www.ci.ann-arbor.mi.us/CommunityServices/Parks/Parkdescriptions/Barton/barton.html

Be sure to look at the Ann Arbor parks map link on the right side of this page for many adjoining hiking opportunities.

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