Chelsea Pop - A Tactical Urbanism Demonstration Project

As transportation planners, working with communities to develop long term transportation solutions is what we are eager to see completed. Sometimes the completion of projects can take several years. After participating in the Chelsea Transportation Working Group for the past year, WATS staff wondered, why wait years to try out different pedestrian and bicycle safety designs? The culmination of these ideas came together and resulted in the development of the Chelsea Pop project.

The Chelsea Pop project will be a low-cost 30-day demonstration project to showcase temporary pedestrian and bicycle design concepts.  A project map has been created to highlight the route. To help understand the needs along the corridor, WATS seeks members of the public to participate in a round of community engagement opportunities that will take place the week of July 6-10.  The demonstration project design treatments will be in place the month of September. 

Tactical urbanism includes low-cost, temporary changes to the built environment intended to improve local neighborhoods and public spaces. These short-term street design projects are community-led, evaluated and permitted by city agencies, rooted in city goals, and in accordance with local, state, and national street design guidelines.

"I am very excited about this project and am looking forward to working with our residents to improve the safety, walkability, and bikeability of our city streets and neighborhoods”, City of Chelsea Mayor Melissa Johnson.

Project partners include the City of Chelsea, Washtenaw Area Transportation Study, and Saint Joseph Mercy Health System. More information can be found at miwats.org/chelseapop.