Joe Louis Greenway opens sections for biking, but gaps remain on Detroit's 29-mile trail

Parts of the Joe Louis Greenway are open for biking in Detroit, but riders who leave the paved stretches still meet construction gaps, loose gravel and a section under I-75 that cannot be passed.

A ride from near Hamtramck to Dearborn and back showed the west side has the most continuous usable trail. A paved section near Six Mile Road is open even though the city's interactive map still shows it as under construction. Other open segments are visible and reachable, but connecting them often means walking a bike through unfinished work zones.

The $300 million pathway will eventually stretch 29 miles for cycling and walking. Construction began in 2021. City planners are building the greenway in pieces, and not always in a linear sequence.

City deputy chief greenways planner Idrees Mutahr said in a statement that different deadlines for various funding sources, land control issues and community engagement are among the reasons sections are being finished out of order.

The route tested included a bridge in Highland Park that is visible from Woodward Avenue and marked with a large Joe Louis Greenway sign. The bridge itself appears complete, but unfinished gravel on both sides makes access difficult. Further along, one section beneath I-75 is fully impassable.

The city's map may not fully reflect conditions on the ground. Some finished sections are displayed as under construction, while other areas that appear open still require riding or walking through active construction zones.

The greenway passes active and vacant industrial sites, murals, residential neighborhoods and busy intersections. Some parts of the route are straightforward to follow. Others remain confusing as connections are completed.

The city has not announced when the full 29-mile loop will be finished. For riders and pedestrians, the current advice is to stick to known open sections on the west side and avoid unfinished gaps where the trail is not yet safe or passable.

Construction began with a groundbreaking in May 2021. The project has drawn attention because it will connect neighborhoods and support tourism and transportation across the city.

Until more segments are linked, riders can use the open sections that exist today. The full trail will be complete once every mile is finished.