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Jay Fowler, interim executive director of the Greater Grand Rapids Bicycle Coalition, bikes around Grand Rapids. (Matt Vande Bunte | MLive.com)

(Matt Vande Bunte)

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- After months of public input and feedback, a special body appointed by the Grand Rapids City Commission has developed a master plan for the future of transportation in the city.

The Vital Streets plan developed throughout the past year has classified every street in Grand Rapids according to its use, identifying detailed best practices for future development and ideal streetscapes for each type.

Most notably, the plan outlines the mode of transport that major roads are best suited for -- whether it be bicycles, trucks, mass transit like bikes or streetcars, or a blend of all.

A graphic produced by the city of Grand Rapids' Vital Streets plan showing transit modes identified for major streets on the West Side. Commuter bicycle routes are shown in blue, community bike routes are in green, transit routes for buses and streetcars are in pink, vehicle-only routes are in gold and blended routes are in light yellow. (Courtesy | City of Grand Rapids)

The plan has identified the following as major commuter bike routes into downtown from west of the Grand River:

Leonard

Walker

Bridge east of Covell

Lake Michigan Drive NW to Pearl

Scribner

Front Street

A graphic produced by the city of Grand Rapids' Vital Streets plan showing transit modes identified for major streets northeast of downtown. Commuter bicycle routes are shown in blue, community bike routes are in green, transit routes for buses and streetcars are in pink, vehicle-only routes are in gold and blended routes are in light yellow. (Courtesy | City of Grand Rapids)

Commuter bike routes would optimally provide an on-street bike lane or off-street trail or track, under the Vital Streets plan. In some areas of Grand Rapids, this may eliminate on-street parking in narrow streets, narrow or change lanes of traffic or change some sidewalk features.

The plan has identified the following as major commuter bike routes into downtown from east of the Grand River:

Knapp

3 Mile

Monroe

Ionia

Lyon

Fountain

Cherry

Plymouth

Madison

Buchanan

Century/Hynes

Franklin

Lafayette

A graphic produced by the city of Grand Rapids' Vital Streets plan showing transit modes identified for major streets east of downtown. Commuter bicycle routes are shown in blue, community bike routes are in green, transit routes for buses and streetcars are in pink, vehicle-only routes are in gold and blended routes are in light yellow. (Courtesy | City of Grand Rapids)

The Vital Streets plan, adopted by the Commission Dec. 13, combines the "complete street" philosophy of roads for all modes of transportation and every user, as well as the "green street" philosophy of green infrastructure and stormwater management.

The new plan came from a year-long engagement process with neighborhoods, business owners, schools, disability advocates, freight haulers and cycling coalitions along with the experts, Nelson Nygaard. The plan will guide the city's $22 million planned investment in city streets throughout the next 15 years after voters approved an extension of the city's income tax.

A graphic produced by the city of Grand Rapids' Vital Streets plan showing transit modes identified for major streets southeast of downtown. Commuter bicycle routes are shown in blue, community bike routes are in green, transit routes for buses and streetcars are in pink, vehicle-only routes are in gold and blended routes are in light yellow. (Courtesy | City of Grand Rapids)

Some routes have been chosen as best for high-frequency transit with stops every 15 minutes, like buses or streetcars:

Plainfield from Leonard to Fuller

Lafayette from Leonard to Michigan

Michigan from Monroe to Plymouth

Fulton from I-196 to Diamond

Monroe from Michigan to Market

Buchanan from Market to north of Wealthy

Jefferson

Division south of Wealthy

Eastern south of Cherry

These are streets where there is a high frequency of transit service -- or mass transit vehicles encounter congestion or delays that make it unreliable, according to the plan. The Vital Streets plan calls for relocating transit stops, enhancing stop amenities, queued jump lanes at intersections as well as dedicated mass transit lanes, in some areas.

A graphic produced by the city of Grand Rapids' Vital Streets plan showing transit modes identified for major streets southeast of downtown. Commuter bicycle routes are shown in blue, community bike routes are in green, transit routes for buses and streetcars are in pink, vehicle-only routes are in gold and blended routes are in light yellow. (Courtesy | City of Grand Rapids)

And the following streets have been designated as critical to primarily serving vehicle and truck traffic:

Market from I-196 to Wealthy

Godfrey

Hall west of Division

28

Beltline

Kalamazoo south of Alger

Burton from Clyde to Madison

Fuller from Michigan to Plainfield

Leonard east of Lafayette

Alpine north of Richmond

Ann west of 131

Facilitating freight movement may mean roundabouts, wider curbs, longer signal cycles and longer block lengths.