Keeping track of the cut

The cut – formerly, “the tracks” – is spreading northward and upward, leading now past the market and surfacing at Mack, where various paths and bike lanes will now connect it to the midtown and Hamtramck loops.

There have been several badly taken meetings between bikers and motorists as both strive to gain a finer understanding of the intricacies to this new, shared arrangement.  Motorists, for their part, are viewing the bike lanes as passing and/or express lanes – led by the DOT bus drivers that careen past cars stopped at lights, then jam back over as they cross the intersections.    Sometimes traffic’s just too slow.  The bike lanes are a great way to keep those lines on time. Or, if you’re late to work?  No sense waiting for all those cars to move out of one’s way…

The bikers, on the other hand, have failed to realize that the entire lane is theirs to use, and they don’t have to keep their tires on the thin painted line to the far left of said lanes.  They are also, evidently, unaware that traffic laws are applicable to bicyclists as well, blowing through lights, stop signs, clogging roads, and driving the wrong way down one way streets en mass. 

One bicyclist we saw blithely rolling down Michigan Avenue on a stereotypically fixed-speed bike, did plant her wheels wisely centered in the lane and on the correct side of the street, with the flow of traffic.  However, as she rocked her oblivious head to whatever transmitted through the headphones, she blew through a red light, directly in front of a maroon Rendevous, crossing on Trumbell. 

The driver’s view was obscured by a building, and he only saw her at the last second, slammed on his brakes and turned sharply left – just missing the bike's rear tire – while the rider peddled on, completely unaware that she nearly became a permanent installation on the peeling asphalt and exposed, ancient brick that continues to give literal relevance to the neighborhood moniker.

The section of the cut they are currently clearing, was a particularly complicated, slightly spooky stretch— though nothing on par with the Jefferson and Lafayette bridges on the other end.  They did a nice job turning those from creepy to interesting, and it looks like their plan for the sub-surface warehouses, is to knock out the walls, so the floors are fully open, though, that will certainly be a hazard, from street level.  Possibly they are just being prepared for demolition, in typical Detroit style…  They could make a great, blank canvas for a unique hotel – the location is ideal:  Right on the cut, by the market, close to all the trendy spots.  Courtyard on the cut?

Viewed from the Wilkins bridge, on which we stopped to satiate curiosity -- to Jen's chagrin, Will's delight and Jared's disinterest.  Ari was absent, but disinterested in her absence, as well. 

As we gawked over each edge, two skinny white boys walked east, eating from the carry-out containers they carried -- a strange juxtaposition, this, beyond the northern boundary of long ago skinny white boys, uncomfortable beyond the environs of downtown, Lafayette, the larger Elmwood, river front and Cass corridor.  Heading that direction back then led to no good, or brought none.  The neighborhoods were never a comfortable place, despite most friends living in the various...  There were always shortcuts to them, never much exploration:  Cass Corridor-- fine.  Neighborhoods -- unsettling.  Can't explain...

Interesting period in the city...