ReImagine Washtenaw Online Materials and Survey

In May, ReImagine Washtenaw held a series of public meetings to share the status of their efforts to envision a new Washtenaw Corridor.  The workshop materials and evaluation forms from the meeting are now online.  Anyone can review this material and provide feedback.  Visit  the survey below if you did not have a chance to provide comment at the public meetings.

The survey closes on July 1st!

http://www.a2gov.org/services/pages/opencityhall.aspx

ReImagine Washtenaw Online Comment

Did you miss your chance to comment on the future of Washtenaw Avenue?  Don't Panic!  You still have a chance to learn about the future of the county's busiest commercial corridor and to provide feedback.  See the poster below for more information, or go to www.washtenawavenue.org

Mapping of dialectical differences through out the United Sates

Check out these 22 maps highlighting the diversity of the English language from region to region in the United States!







http://www.businessinsider.com/22-maps-that-show-the-deepest-linguistic-conflicts-in-america-2013-6#some-of-the-deepest-schisms-in-america-are-over-the-pronunciation-of-the-second-syllable-of-pajamas-9

The Connector Workshop June 2013 Public Input

As part of its continuing efforts to engage the public and stakeholders, and provide the latest information about The Connector project, on Tuesday, June 18, 2013, members of the public are invited to provide their opinions during a workshop event at the Downtown Ann Arbor District Library. The Connector is a developing plan for high-capacity transit in an arc from northeast to south Ann Arbor, connecting major destinations including downtown, University of Michigan campuses and medical center, and commercial areas.

During the June 18 workshop there will be several opportunities to provide feedback about The Connector. The workshop is open to everyone — residents, business owners, stakeholders and other interested parties are encouraged to attend.

The Connector June 18 Workshop Agenda

4:30-5:30 pm 5:30-6:00 pm 6:00-7:00 pm 7:00-7:30 pm 7:30-8:00 pm

Open House Presentation Breakout Groups — Connect The Connector Presentation Open House

http://www.aaconnector.com/get-involved.html#june2013

Longest Plastic Recycled Bridge

Made from 100% recycled plastics (80% post consumer and 20% car bumpers and dashboards), the bridge located in Logan County Ohio has been named the Onion Ditch Bridge. The bridge spans 24.6 ft, has an anticipated life of 50 years, and is impervious to insect infestation.




http://inhabitat.com/onion-ditch-bridge-longest-us-recycled-plastic-bridge-pops-up-in-ohio/

Commuting by Bike: Signaling, Common Intersections, and Traffic (Lifehacker article)

Lifehacker, a website dedicated to tips, tricks, and downloads for getting things done recently featured an excellent article about bike commuting on its Hackerspace.  In it, author Joseph Skeate covers basic hand signals, how a biker might handle complex intersections, and even how to be safe near a merging bus.  We recommend it!  Read the article at Lifehacker.

US-23 Nonmotorized Underpass Ribbon Cutting this Friday at 10am!

Local and County government officials, business leaders, and representatives from the Michigan Department of Transportation have scheduled a ribbon cutting for Friday, June 7th, from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m., to celebrate the completion of a non-motorized path improvement. The 10 ft. wide path improvement provides an off-road path for bikers and pedestrians to more safely traverse the US-23 interchange at Washtenaw Ave. The new path runs from Yost near Arborland Mall under US-23 to Carpenter Road, and is between the City of Ann Arbor and Pittsfield Township. The ribbon cutting will take place along the section of path nearest the Chili's Parking lot in Arborland. 

"We are thrilled to see this improvement completed, as this area was especially challenging for pedestrians to navigate. This is a good example of MDOT's commitment to the ReImagine Washtenaw vision to create a more safe, walkable corridor, by providing reasonable accommodation to non-motorized modes of transportation," said ReImagine Washtenaw Project Manager, Nathan Voght. "This ribbon cutting event will allow all ReImagine Washtenaw stakeholders to gather and celebrate the occasion." 

"The Michigan Department of Transportation is looking forward to continuing its collaboration with the ReImagine Washtenaw initiative, to ensure future improvements address both MDOT's needs, and also the community's vision for the corridor," says Mark Sweeney, MDOT Brighton TSC Manager. 

Also attending the ribbon cutting will be representatives from the newly formed association of businesses near this stretch of the corridor within the City of Ann Arbor. The new business association is called Washtenaw Avenue Merchant Association, or WAMA. Light refreshments and snacks will be provided by Hiller's, one of WAMA's founding business members. 

ReImagine Washtenaw is a multi-jurisdictional land use planning and public transit initiative to transform the corridor from auto-focused, to a safe, multi-modal, public transit-enhanced corridor, with new, high-quality mixed-use development, enhanced transit service and amenities, resulting in a corridor with sense of place. Professional staff planners and elected officials from the Cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti and Pittsfield and Ypsilanti Townships have been leading this effort. Additional partners, including the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority, Michigan Department of Transportation, Washtenaw County, Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Washtenaw Area Transportation Study, are also collaborating to take the county's most congested and auto-centric road, and turn it in to a high-functioning, multi-modal corridor. For more information contact Nathan Voght, in the Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development, at voghtn@ewashtenaw.org or 734-222-3860, or visit the Reimagine Washtenaw website.

ReImagine Washtenaw on Bike Shop Show

The Bike Shop Show, a local cyclist focused podcast, recently interviewed Nathan Vought from Washtenaw County's Office of Community and Economic Development.  The interview highlights the ReImagine Washtenaw effort, which is rethinking the County's busiest commercial corridor as a pedestrian and bike friendly place.  Listen to the podcast for more information.  To get involved attend an upcoming meeting for the project.  The first meeting is tonight at the Washtenaw County Service Center, we've included the flyer below.

Reimagine Washtenaw Avenue

The Reimagine Washtenaw team will hold a series of public meetings to discuss the Washtenaw Avenue Corridor with you.  Meetings will be held at various locations along the corridor.  Participants will see a 30 minute presentation on Complete Streets and then participate in a series of stations where they can provide input on safe pedestrian crossings, bike lanes, transit, and pedestrian access along the corridor.


See the flyer below for more details and visit www.washtenawavenue.org to learn more about this exciting project.

On-Road Bicycle Facility Design Training

The Chelsea Area Wellness Foundation, MDOT, Village of Dexter, and OHM Advisors are hosting a free educational course on the design of on-road bike facilities.  The course will familiarize professionals and officials with the AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities.  Contact Kristen Delaney with the Chelsea Area Wellness Foundation at kristen@5healthytowns for more information.