That, in case you were counting folks, makes a total of three awards received by the staff of the County Clerk. Congratulations to you Carmella for what I am sure must have been a very busy and productive year.

Our next award takes the idea on public transportation to a new level.

Imagine, if you can, a county where nearly everyplace you want to be is accessible by foot. Suppose you could just jump on a bike and pedal to the lake on a safe and properly paved path? What if you could walk a few blocks and get to a place where you could walk - for fun and exercise - in a place with lots of green space and no cars rushing past?

The Macomb County Department of Planning and Economic Development envisions such a place. They would like to see the country develop a network of linked trails - paths in every community across the four hundred and eighty-two (482) square miles that make up the county. These trails would make it possible for people to be outdoors - to be physically active - and to get places without having to get into a car to do it.

Inspired by their involvement with the purchase and development of the twenty-four (24) mile Macomb Orchard Trail, the planning department set out to determine if it was possible to create a system of trails throughout the county that would link people not only to places within the county but also places throughout southeastern Michigan.

Working with a consultant, representatives from every community, people from the utility companies and staff from the Michigan Department of Transportation, worked with the planning staff to evaluate open spaces as well as streets and roads already developed.

What they uncovered was more than three hundred (300) linear miles of space that could be intricately linked throughout the county. For instance, a wide residential street off of eight mile road could be safely narrowed to allow for a bike path lane to be painted in. That surface might lead directly to an electrical corridor - you know - those long, open stretches of green where the great big towers are? It makes sense to open these places to the public by laying down an.htmhalt path. That electrical corridor could potentially lead people to an existing trail along sixteen (16) mile road. Once on the Metro Parkway Path, a family from south Warren could head straight to Metro Beach, Lake Saint Clair and all of the great things there are to do at the park.

This would make for a much healthier community - more people would find it safe and easy to be physically active, less cars would be the road helping to keep the air cleaner and we would have good reasons to maintain open space. In fact, a trail system could also be healthy for our economy - people like to visit places where they can safely travel by bicycle, especially if there are a whole lot of interesting destinations along the way.

The master plan to create a county of trails is here this morning - and is really quite interesting. I invite you to take a look at it to find where you live and where a bike path is proposed.

In order for this network to be created, each community needed to "buy in" to the idea. The department not only created a map, they took it to every community, explained the many positive benefits of non-motorized travel and successfully gained approval of every city, township and village in the county. Today, three communities are already helping to implement the plan. Saint Clair Shores has already built a path along Jefferson Avenue. Shelby Township is setting aside more space for trails. And, that path I mentioned that begins at eight mile road, meanders through the electrical corridor and heads straight to the beach? The city of Warren has just begun working out the details.