New Bike Plaza at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center

DETROIT - The Detroit Wayne Joint Building Authority (DWJBA) has added to the landscaping and aesthetic appeal of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center (CAYMC) by installing a Bike Plaza where visitors can securely park their bicycles. The Bike Plaza consists of sixteen bike racks located on Larned Street adjacent to the highest used building entrance. The plaza’s bike racks are available for visitors to the CAYMC building and the general public. With newly planted flowers, trees and ground cover, the landscaped bike plaza is an inviting place that is safe and pedestrian-friendly and makes effective use of open spaces.

The $18,000 funding investment by the DWJBA was used to design and install the bike plaza as an attractive, accessible and sustainable enhancement to the building. Courier services and visitors have begun using the bike plaza and future bike stations are planned on the east and south sides of the CAYMC building.

The City of Detroit’s Non-motorized Urban Transportation Master Plan calls for bicycle parking facilities to be provided at all community facilities. DWJBA is leading by example in making bicycle parking a priority at CAYMC. Bike plazas are emerging in other major cities to give people additional or alternative transportation choices. The CAYMC bike plaza has transformed a public space into a welcoming public access location that adds to the options available to ride and park in downtown Detroit.

The Detroit area is home to a large number of biking clubs and social groups. Having a bike plaza adds value for bikers as they bicycle, park their bikes and enjoy downtown attractions.

“This project reflects key principles in our mission statement to address the safety, health, and welfare of employees and visitors in an environmentally appropriate manner, “stated Gregory McDuffee, Executive Director, Detroit Wayne Joint Building Authority.