Easter Transit Schedule Announced by TheRide

The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (TheRide) will not operate regular fixed-route bus service, A-Ride paratransit, or Good As Gold senior  services on Sunday, April 8, 2012 in observance of the Easter holiday.  Regular bus, paratransit and senior services will resume on Monday, April 9. Passengers may take advantage of Holiday Ride shared-ride taxi service on Easter for just $5 a person.  Senior and A-Ride identification card holders may ride for $2.50. Individuals with a current go!pass may ride for $3.00. The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority subsidizes the additional $2.00. Holiday Ride taxi service operates within the city limits of Ann Arbor and east to Huron Street in downtown Ypsilanti between Clark Road /Huron River Drive on the north and Ellsworth Road/ Michigan Avenue on the south. All trips must begin or end in Ann Arbor (west of Carpenter Road). To schedule a Holiday Ride trip, call 734.528.5432. Bus route and schedule information is available at 734.996.0400 and at www.TheRide.org.

The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (TheRide) was chartered in 1969 by the City of Ann Arbor, Michigan, as a not-for-profit unit of government. AATA operates the local public transit system for the greater Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area, enabling the area’s residents to reach their destinations at reasonable cost, and offers the region efficient, environmentally sound transportation alternatives. For more information, please visit www.TheRide.org.

TheRide’s Board of Directors has endorsed a 30-year Transit Master Plan for Washtenaw County. Updates on the progress of the plan are available at www.MovingYouForward.org. E-mail and text message updates on bus routes, schedules, detours and other news from TheRide are available by free subscription to MyRide at www.TheRide.org.

Connect with TheRide through social media at www.facebook.com/CatchTheRide, www.twitter.com/CatchTheRide, or www.youtube.com/CatchTheRide.

Packard Road Construction

Between April 2, 2012 and August 2012 the City of Ann Arbor will be replacing a water main and resurfacing Packard Road.  The project affects the length of Packard between Platt and US-23.  Construction will restrict traffic to one through lane in each direction with a center turn lane.  Pedestrian traffic will be maintained throughout the project.  The map below shows project phasing and traffic flow restrictions.  View the official announcement here.

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.