Thriving Communities / News & Views / A Summer of Smart Commuting: Acme and the TART Trail
A Summer of Smart Commuting: Acme and the TART Trail
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- Pete Farmer: Nice to read about the big picture of music around here. I am sure the scene will only get bigger as TC grows. We plan on helping in our own little way with a small venue at our workshop. All procee...
- Pat Weber: The music tradition in Traverse City begins in its schools- the feeder system as it were. Traverse City Area Public Schools has had a long and rich music legacy in both vocal and instrumental instruct...
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I’ve written about a couple of transportation connections in the area that connect the BATA bus system with the TART trail system and make smart commuting easier. In Glen Arbor, BATA provides access to the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail and the new Bike-n-Ride program connects the BATA Suttons Bay route with the Leelanau Trail. But these are just two of the many options.
Over the weekend I explored another BATA route and how it also makes a connection with a TART trail. The Williamsburg route (route 14) travels east on US 31 with stops along East Grand Traverse Bay, in Acme, and at the Grand Traverse Resort, before turning on to M-72 to stop at the Turtle Creek Casino and Resort.
The bus can drop you off in Acme very near the eastern end of the TART trail, which you can jump on for 10.5 miles along the bay, back into Traverse City, and through downtown, to eventually connect with the Leelanau Trail.
This stretch of trail is beautiful as it follows the curve of the bay and rides through swampy areas with wooden boardwalks. Downtown, it reconnects with the bay and provides great access to the waterfront and Clinch Park. Like most of the TART trails, it’s flat and easily accessible to all levels of riders.
My only word of caution: There’s a section of trail as you approach Traverse City where there are road crossings without pedestrian signals that can leave you wondering when it’s safe to cross the street. It requires a bit of concentration and thought, but doesn’t ruin the trail.
It just shows that there is always potential for improvement to make all of the connecting systems more cohesive.
Zoë McAlear is an intern at the Michigan Land Use Institute. She can be reached at zoe@mlui.org.
