from “le détroit” · the strait
The state is restriping Belle Isle so cyclists can loop the whole island without crossing traffic, and reversing part of Central Avenue to ease congestion near the beach.
Belle Isle is getting new road markings, a redesigned bike route, and a direction change on part of Central Avenue, with the state aiming to have most of it in place before Memorial Day weekend.
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources announced the changes on May 19. They put into practice recommendations from the park's multimodal mobility plan, a long-term effort to cut congestion, improve accessibility, and raise safety for everyone who uses the island.
The headline change for cyclists is a continuous, two-way cycle track that follows the perimeter of the 982-acre island. Once the restriping is done, riders can circle the entire park without crossing in front of vehicle lanes. High-visibility markings and signage at the MacArthur Bridge entry and exit are meant to guide cyclists and drivers cleanly through those crossings.
On the road side, Central Avenue shifts to two-way vehicle traffic between Picnic Way and Portage Way. Farther east, where Central Avenue runs through the island's wet-mesic flatwoods, the road stays one-way but reverses, moving from eastbound to westbound.
The DNR frames the reversal as a congestion fix. "Providing additional westbound traffic from the east end of the park will support reducing traffic congestion on Riverbank, particularly at the beach area, where traffic congestion has been identified as a safety concern," Amanda Treadwell, the DNR's urban area field planner for the Parks and Recreation Division, said in the announcement.
The cycle track also sorts riders by speed. Faster road cyclists are directed onto the new on-road track, which leaves walkers and casual riders to use the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Trail, the 5.8-mile non-motorized loop around the island, at their own pace.
The work was scheduled in stages. Cycle track markings on Casino Way and The Strand were set for the week of May 18. Central Avenue was due to close May 26 through May 29 for the traffic-pattern conversion, with a tentative reopening under the new configuration on May 29. If lane striping ran past that window, the DNR flagged the possibility of intermittent closures on Central Avenue the following week, roughly June 1 to 5, for parking-space striping. Closure updates are posted at michigan.gov/dnrclosures.
The improvements trace back to the Belle Isle Park Multimodal Mobility Study, a 2.5-year effort completed between 2022 and 2024 by engineering firm Wade Trim alongside the DNR. That study produced a plan with a 10-year implementation strategy for the park's roads, trails, sidewalks, and parking. Earlier phases narrowed lanes on the outer park road and added the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Trail; a uniform wayfinding system and a central parking lot are slated for completion later in 2026.
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