(Chelsea Update would like to thank Trevor Layton for the information in this story.)
SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments, and its partner organization, the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC) release some key findings from a recent “Pulse of the Region” survey on bicycle and pedestrian travel in Southeast Michigan.
Here are some of the results:
• 48 percent of respondents currently get around by walking
• 44 percent of respondents currently get around by biking
• 73 percent of respondents would like to get around by biking
• 63 percent of respondents would like to get around by walking
• 26 percent of respondents typically bike for recreation and transportation
The greatest impediment for people not walking is:
• Weather (63 percent)
• Distance or time constraints (52 percent)
• Lack of sidewalks or paths (43 percent)
The greatest impediment for people not biking is:
• Lack of facilities or infrastructure (67 percent)
• Weather (62 percent)
• Personal safety/security (43 percent)
“We are grateful to the more than 3,000 people who took this survey,” said Kathleen Lomako, SEMCOG executive director and MAC president in a press release. “We recognize the importance of bicycle and pedestrian travel in Southeast Michigan and how it can enhance quality of life and economic development in the region.”
Survey results will be used in development of the regional Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan for Southeast Michigan, and in development of policies for local mobility. Gaps and areas where people cannot walk or bike will be reported back to local communities for input into their planning efforts.
Survey results will be presented to the SEMCOG Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force, chaired by Scott Benson, Detroit City Councilmember and Melissa Johnson, Mayor of Chelsea (vice chair) at its next meeting on July 10. The Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is expected to be adopted in March 2020. A SEMCOG video highlights the region’s recent accomplishments in the areas of biking and walking.
SEMCOG is the only organization in Southeast Michigan that brings together all governments to solve regional challenges and enhance the quality of life for the seven-county region’s 4.7 million people.
To learn more about what SEMCOG does, click here.
