The 10th annual Tour de Troit will allow novice and expert cyclists to participate in a 30-mile bike tour of the city on Sept 24. Last year, the tour had more than 3,000 participants and expects more than 4,000 to take part in the event this weekend.

The Tour attracts people from not only Metro-Detroit and Michigan, but from across the nation to ride through the streets of the city.

“The Tour is fun and brings people together,” said Lisa McNish, repeat volunteer and Corktown resident. “It lets people get out there and see the city and know that it is safe to ride a bicycle in Midtown.”

Bil Lusa, a long-time Detroit resident, has been part of the completely volunteer-based committee that works with Southwest Detroit Business Association to organize the citywide event. Lusa has watched the event grow in the past decade and thinks that is a great event for students and residents to join.

“Over the past few years, Wayne State has become a campus where folks just don’t drive to class and back home to the suburbs anymore,” Lusa said. “Students are spending time in midtown and riding bikes in the area, this event raises awareness about cycling and shows all the places they can check out in the city.”

The ride not only brings people together and raises awareness on cycling in the city, it also is for a good cause. All proceeds from the event go toward the Southwest Detroit Greenlink, who is planning to make a series of bike lanes and off-road pathways that will connect the neighborhoods of Southwest Detroit to each other and to the Detroit River.

Last year, the event raised over $40,000 for the project.

Tour de Troit relies completely on volunteer help. In the past, WSU student organizations and individuals have helped, and this year is no different, with the entire WSU cross-country volunteering at the event. Coach Rick Cummins and the team help out at different running and cycling events throughout the year.

“The team likes to go and support other athletes because they understand endurance events and know moral support is important,” Cummins said, “and this a good event for us to participate in because it is in our city and cycling is part of our training.”

Chelsie Fuller, a junior at WSU and a member on the team is excited about being part of event.

“The fact that it is a community event raising awareness about biking in Detroit is because it is a big part of our training,” Fuller said. “We are just excited to do it and it being in our community.”

The route changes every year to offer a different view of the city. This year, for the first time, the second half of the route will be closed to car traffic. Biking through the city also gives people a different view while having a good time exploring it.

“We go out, ride our bikes, see the city, have a bite to eat and a beer afterward,” Lusa said of the event. “It’s a good time.

For more information on Tour de Troit, visit www.tour-de-troit.org.