THE PARKWAY

Active transportation infrastructure in particular— including sidewalks and crosswalks— is not evenly distributed and maintained throughout the island. This results in uneven or no access to some of the island amenities due to sidewalk gaps, poor drainage, absence of ADA accessible crossings, and reduced visibility. These types of lapses in the provision of public infrastructure have critical accessibility, safety and experiential implications. Further challenges exist in ensuring that these infrastructures connect and respond with one another to create dynamic and adaptable infrastructure systems that can continue to function under a multitude of changing conditions. From the pleasure grounds that Olmsted once imagined to the contemporary needs of a large urban park, the provision and adequate maintenance of different urban infrastructures will remain a critical issue in protecting the unique ecosystems housed in Belle Isle and the experiences of many generations of Detroiters to come.