Village of Dexter Main Street Resurfacing Project

Beginning in April, Main Street between Jeffords and Baker will be resurfaced. The downtown crosswalks will also be enhanced with stamped colored concrete to make them more visible to motorists. The project is expected to take approximately 6 weeks. One way traffic heading eastbound will be maintained throughout the project. Parking on Main Street will be limited or in most instances completely unavailable during this time.

Information on the project can be found here.

 

Glen Avenue Utility Repair

Between March 13 and March 19, 2012, the City of Ann Arbor will close one lane each direction on Glen Avenue for emergency storm sewer repair.  The partial closing effects the portion of Glen between Depot Street and Catherine Street.  Pedestrian traffic will be maintained throughout the project.  Springtime weather may cause project delays.

See the full announcement from the city here.

Dangers of Distracted Driving Video

A realistic distracted driving video and 30-second public service announcement (PSA), produced for the Traffic Improvement Association of Michigan (TIA) by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), have been posted online at www.youtube.com/tiamichigan

MDOT's Office of Communications was selected by TIA to produce the video and PSA as part of a campaign to raise awareness among teens and young adults about the dangers of distracted driving.

TIA plans to use the video and other educational materials in high schools across the state as part of its "Remembering Ally: Distracted Driving Awareness Campaign" in memory of 16-year old Ally Zimmerman, a passenger in a vehicle hit broadside by a distracted driver. Ally later died from her injuries.

Click to see the full video on YouTube..

Road Improvements and Detours Along Dexter Avenue

From March 26 through November 2012, the City of Ann Arbor will begin a series of improvements along Dexter Avenue. The improvements include utility upsizing/replacement and a full reconstruction of the road.

For the duration of the construction, Dexter Avenue between Maple Road and Huron Street will be restricted to local traffic only. Thru traffic will be detoured via Maple and Jackson Ave.

The construction will be phased into three sections, with approximately a third of Dexter Avenue under construction at any given time. Within each section under construction, traffic will be limited to one-way westbound, with only Dexter Avenue residents and emergency traffic permitted. For the two sections without construction, two-way local traffic will be permitted.

See a full series of project maps here
See the official announcement here

Help Shape the Future of Transportation in Michigan

Southeast Michigan residents have a unique opportunity to provide valuable guidance to elected leadership in Lansing and help shape how we will maintain and improve the transportation system – roads, bridges, and transit – in Southeast Michigan through a regional online survey sponsored by the Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC) and SEMCOG, the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. Citizens can take the online survey directly, or by visiting the SEMCOG or MAC websites. The region’s and state’s infrastructure needs are estimated to cost $2.8 billion per year over the next 20 years, with only $1.4 billion currently available from federal, state, and local sources (primarily gas taxes and vehicle registration fees). There are many causes for this large gap, including the general economic downturn, fewer vehicle miles traveled, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and the fact that the gas tax has not been increased since 1997. In addition, we are the only large metropolitan area in the country without a coordinated transit system that serves the needs of the region. To ensure that Southeast Michigan preserves a high quality of life and attracts and retains business investment, tourism, and a dynamic and educated workforce, we need to maintain our roads and bridges in good condition, and provide better transit options. The brief survey asks nine questions pertaining to two transportation-related topics: The importance of investing in maintaining and improving Michigan’s roads and bridges; and The importance of expanding public transit in Southeast Michigan This Pulse of the Region survey is an easy way for the public to voice their opinions and have an impact on the future of the region’s transportation system. “With legislation just introduced in the State House and Senate on these critical issues, now is a perfect time to speak up and let your elected officials know what you think,” said Paul E. Tait, Executive Director of SEMCOG and President of MAC. This survey is powered by Cobalt Community Research, a Michigan-based 501c3 nonprofit research coalition with a mission to provide research and educational tools that help schools, local governments, and other nonprofit member organizations thrive as changes emerge in the economic, demographic, and social landscape. SEMCOG is a regional planning partnership of governmental units serving 4.7 million people in the seven-county region of Southeast Michigan striving to enhance the region’s quality of life. The Metropolitan Affairs Coalition (MAC), a non-profit public/private partnership, is the only group that brings business, labor, government, and education together to build consensus and seek solutions to regional issues. MAC is uniquely positioned to be a catalyst for change and help move the region and state forward.

Temporary Road Closure: Tuebingen Parkway

The City of Ann Arbor will close Tuebingen Parkway for repairs to a sanitary sewer pipe.  The closure affects the portion of Tuebingen between Traver Road and Lancashire Drive.  Weather permitting, repairs begin February 6, 2012 and will be complete on February 13.  During this work, traffic will be diverted to Nixon for southbound traffic and Huron Parkway for northbound Tuebingen traffic.  The image below shows the traffic control plan.  View the full notice here.

Project Contacts:

Nichole Woodward, P.E., Utility Engineer (734) 323-3763
Chris Rachwal, Civil Engineering Specialist, (734) 323-7932
Dan Wooden, Sanitary Utilities, (734) 972-2413


E. T. MacKenzie Company
Eric Evans, Construction Contractor, (734) 216-0838

New Zipcars Added to Downtown Ann Arbor Fleet

As of Monday, January 23rd, 2 new Zipcars have been added to the downtown Ann Arbor Zipcar Fleet.  These Zipcars–2 Ford Focuses–are at the Washington Street entrance to the 415 W. Washington parking lot.  And the best thing about these cars (and all the Ford Zipcars) is that they only cost $7/hr rather than the usual $8/hr.

Thanks to the Ann Arbor DDA for providing the spaces for these Zipcars!

With this addition, the downtown Ann Arbor fleet now has 10 cars.  The other downtown Ann Arbor Zipcar locations are 1st Street (across from Liberty Lofts), Fourth and Catherine (by the Farmer’s Market), Main and William (in the Palio Parking Lot), and the McKinley Town Centre Parking Lot (on Washington across from the 411 Lofts).

Anyone who’s a Zipcar Ann Arbor Member has access to more than 20 cars on the UM campus and to Zipcars all over the country.

Want more information about Zipcar?  Visit zipcar.com/annarbor or contact getDowntown at info@getdowntown.org.

New Pedestrian Bridge Near Dexter High School

The Dexter Leader reports that a Pedestrian bridge on Shield Road near Dexter High School will be completed this spring.  Prior to the bridge, pedestrians used a narrow shoulder along the roadway to reach the nearby football field.  The new bridge will improve access and safety in the Dexter Community.

This project was funded by a 2008 bond proposal and selected for its overlaps in student health and safety.

For more details about the project, see the original story at the Dexter Leader.

Feds Looking at New Transportation Bill

Article originally published on the Michigan Land Use Institute's (MLUI) website.

Feds Looking at New Transportation Bill

January 20, 2012 by James Bruckbauer ·

Rep. John Mica (R-FL) introduced a new six-year transportation bill late last fall.

The wait will soon be over. In the next month or two, Congress is expected to pass a $112 billion federal highway bill, putting an end to a long delay in setting a six-year transportation strategy for the country. The last transportation bill, titled SAFETEA-LU, expired on September 30, 2009.

Over the past two years, Congress extended SAFETEA-LU through a series of resolutions. For far too long, legislators put off the decision to create a new long-term nation-wide transportation policy, leaving Michigan and its towns, both large and small, wondering what to expect year to year.

With a five-year strategy in place, Michigan can better plan its transportation projects and shape its communities accordingly.

Even though details of the bill have not been released, for transportation advocates like me, striking a deal on a new strategy is big news.

A strong bill would be one that spends our tax dollars wisely by fixing our existing road network, providing more choices like rail and bus transit for folks to get around, and makes investments in bicycle and pedestrian safety. It would also set policies that make Americans less dependent on cars and oil (whether foreign or our own). A bill that fails to provide these elements is shortsighted.

If the bill directs revenue in much of the same outdated, highway-building policies, we’ll be back to where we are today – crumbling roads, a third-world passenger rail system, and nationwide car dependency.

.....(see rest of article here)

James Bruckbauer is the Michigan Land Use Institute’s transportation policy specialist. Follow him @jimbruckb. Reach him at james@mlui.org.

Public Transportation à la The Onion

Here at WATS, we are passionate about  improving Washtenaw County's transportation options, but even transportation planners appreciate a little humor.  And because all fake news is good news, here is an article from satire site The Onion that we couldn't help sharing.

(Article reblogged from The Onion news, a news satire website.  See original posting here) 

Report: 98 Percent Of U.S. Commuters Favor Public Transportation For Others

November 29, 2000 | ISSUE 44•27 ISSUE 36•43

WASHINGTON, DC–A study released Monday by the American Public Transportation Association reveals that 98 percent of Americans support the use of mass transit by others.

"With traffic congestion, pollution, and oil shortages all getting worse, now is the time to shift to affordable, efficient public transportation," APTA director Howard Collier said. "Fortunately, as this report shows, Americans have finally recognized the need for everyone else to do exactly that." Of the study's 5,200 participants, 44 percent cited faster commutes as the primary reason to expand public transportation, followed closely by shorter lines at the gas station. Environmental and energy concerns ranked a distant third and fourth, respectively.

Anaheim, CA, resident Lance Holland, who drives 80 miles a day to his job in downtown Los Angeles, was among the proponents of public transit.

"Expanding mass transit isn't just a good idea, it's a necessity," Holland said. "My drive to work is unbelievable. I spend more than two hours stuck in 12 lanes of traffic. It's about time somebody did something to get some of these other cars off the road."

Public support for mass transit will naturally lead to its expansion and improvement, Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials said.

"With everyone behind it, we'll be able to expand bus routes, create park-and-ride programs, and build entire new Metrolink commuter-rail lines," LACMTA president Howard Sager said. "It's almost a shame I don't know anyone who will be using these new services."

Sager said he expects wide-scale expansion of safe, efficient, and economical mass-transit systems to reduce traffic congestion in all major metropolitan areas in the coming decades.

Morning rush hour on one of Los Angeles' economical, environmentally friendly buses.

"Improving public transportation will do a great deal of good, creating jobs, revitalizing downtown areas, and reducing pollution," Sager said. "It also means a lot to me personally, as it should cut 20 to 25 minutes off my morning drive."

The APTA study also noted that of the 98 percent of Americans who drive to work, 94 percent are the sole occupant of their automobile.

"When public transportation is not practical, commuters should at least be carpooling," Collier said. "Most people, unlike me, probably work near someone they know and don't need to be driving alone."

Collier said he hopes the study serves as a wake-up call to Americans. In conjunction with its release, the APTA is kicking off a campaign to promote mass transit with the slogan, "Take The Bus... I'll Be Glad You Did."

The campaign is intended to de-emphasize the inconvenience and social stigma associated with using public transportation, focusing instead on the positives. Among these positives: the health benefits of getting fresh air while waiting at the bus stop, the chance to meet interesting people from a diverse array of low-paying service-sector jobs, and the opportunity to learn new languages by reading subway ads written in Spanish.

"People need to realize that public transportation isn't just for some poor sucker to take to work," Collier said. "He should also be taking it to the shopping mall, the supermarket, and the laundromat."