Detroit Mayor, Dave Bing, and Wayne County Executive, Robert Ficano, helped officially open the greenway.

Bands from the Martin Luther King Jr. and Sr. High School and the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences led celebration attendees in a march.

The 20-foot-wide paved pathway has separate lanes for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, as well as lighting, benches, trash receptacles and security features.

Three street-level entrance ramps are provided to access the below-grade corridor.

More than 200 Detroit residents, students and public officials gathered to celebrate the grand opening of the Dequindre Cut Greenway on May 14, 2009. The 1.2-mile-long pedestrian and bike pathway runs along the former Grand Trunk Railroad line from Gratiot Avenue to Woodbridge Street connecting the East Riverfront District with the Lafayette Park neighborhood and Eastern Market. This is the first phase of an urban recreational path that is anticipated to link Detroit’s riverfront and downtown area with residential neighborhoods, the University Cultural Center Area, and Midtown Loop with the potential to connect to suburbs as far north as Pontiac. Wade Trim provided construction engineering and inspection services for the project.

This rails-to-trails greenway was constructed by the Detroit Economic Development Corporation and will be maintained by the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy. Funding was provided by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan’s GreenWays Initiative, the Economic Growth Corporation and the Kellogg Foundation. An endowment for the Dequindre Cut has been established through the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan with funding from the Kresge Foundation, the Kellogg Foundation and the Community Foundation.

Wade Trim provided construction engineering, survey and inspection services for the project. Other participants included designer, JJR, and contractor, ABC Paving. Wade Trim has been involved in several other area projects including infrastructure reconstruction of four blocks adjacent to the East Riverfront District where underground utilities were replaced and new roads and sidewalks will be constructed to prepare the area for new development. In addition, Wade Trim provided design for seawall improvements for the East RiverWalk and technical support for demolition of the Detroit Free Press building along the river for future implementation of the West RiverWalk.

Check out this video of construction progress taken by a nearby resident.

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