Transportation

Ann Arbor aims to replace E Stadium/State bridges

By Newsroom

●

May 6, 2009

Most Ann Arborites realize that Stadium and State Street intersect. But, in pracitical terms, they really don't. That piece of Ann Arbor conventional wisdom is getting ready to change.For generations East Stadium Boulevard went over South State Street and the adjacent railroad tracks as if it were a freeway. The only way get from one to the other, no matter what the type of transportation, was through a series of turns onto Industrial and Stimson streets. A lack of sidewalks, excess of dense foliage and steep drop meant pedestrians had to follow the same path as motorists."Right now you can't get from Stadium to State on foot unless you repel," says Eli Cooper, transportation program manager at the city of Ann Arbor.The city is gearing up to change that. It's going after state funds to replace the two bridges that allow Stadium to go over State and railroad tracks near Michigan Stadium. The new bridges will mean that motorists have to continue to turn onto Industrial and Stimson, but the intersection will become much friendlier to pedestrians and bicyclists.The two bridges, built in 1917 and 1928, have become functionally obsolete and structurally unsound. The Bridge over State has a Federal Sufficiency Rating of two out of 100 with 100 equaling a new bridge. The bridges lack space for pedestrians on their south sides and limited access on their north sides.The city plans to rectify all of this with a bridge replacement project worth well north of $20 million. It hopes to secure the funding this year and begin construction next summer. Construction is expected to take two summers, finishing in the fall of 2011. The new bridges are expected to accommodate all mode of transportation both above and below them.Source: Eli Cooper, transportation program manager at the city of Ann Arbor and the city of Ann ArborWriter: Jon Zemke

Latest in Transportation

Ann Arbor plans to add 8 miles of bike lanes this year

By Newsroom

●

Development News

●

April 29, 2009

Federal stimulus funds are going to be making it safer for cyclists in Ann Arbor. The city plans to utilize these funds to add 8 miles of bike lanes, improve 24 more miles of bike lanes and make the downtown friendlier to bicyclists and pedestrians."It's either going to happen this fall or next spring," says Eli Cooper, transportation program manager for the city of Ann Arbor.The city is specifically targeting Ann, Catherine, Ashley and First streets in the downtown area as places where bike lanes can be added along with some on-street parking. The city is also looking at adding bike lanes to Hill, North University, East University, South University, Seventh, Hoover and Pauline streets. The idea is to make it safer for bicyclists and thus encourage more two-wheeled transit in Tree Town. All of the proposed bike lane additions and upgrades are in line with the city's non-motorized transportation plan.City officials also plan to discuss these bike lane improvements and additions at a public meeting at 7 p.m. on May 7 in the City Council Chamber of City Hall. For information, click here.Source: Eli Cooper, transportation program manager for the city of Ann ArborWriter: Jon Zemke

Proposed Ypsilanti train station still favors west side of tracks

By Newsroom

●

Development News

●

April 29, 2009

Ypsilanti’s proposed commuter rail station continues to trend westward now that the Depot Town Downtown Development Authority narrowly voted to recommend it go on the west side."The main consensus seemed to be that the west side had better connectivity to the business district as well as the larger population center of the City as well as surrounding townships," says Brian Vosburg, executive director of the Depot Town Downtown Development Authority.The DDA board voted 3-2 for the westward recommendation. There was also one abstention. The dissenters thought there could be parking problems with commuters parking long term on the west side. The east side provided the rarely used Maple St. lot, a lot that is rarely used and can accommodate a large number of cars.The Depot Town DDA joins the Ypsilanti Planning Commission in recommending it go on the west side, which also happens to be the same side the Ypsilanti Freighthouse is on. The Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse recently landed hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding to rehab the historic structure and are lobbying to have it become the train station.The issue will now go before Ypsilanti City Council in early May and then the Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments, which is spearheading the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail project. What’s for certain is that Ypsilanti’s station for the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line is going in Depot Town. Source: Brian Vosburg, executive director of the Depot Town Downtown Development AuthorityWriter: Jon Zemke

Go west young Ypsilanti commuter train station

By Newsroom

●

Development News

●

April 22, 2009

Ypsilanti’s commuter rail station has its first official direction - west. As in the west side of the tracks. That’s where the city’s Planning Commission recommended putting the station in Depot Town. The Depot Town Downtown Development Authority and City Council still need to weigh in before the Southeastern Michigan Council of Governments makes the decision, but it appears the west side of the tracks is starting to take the early lead.What’s for certain is that Ypsilanti’s station for the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line is going in Depot Town. City officials and residents have been debating whether to out the station on the west side of the tracks (same side as the Ypsilanti Freighthouse) or on the east side. Working in favor of the west side is that the Freighthouse has received $500,000 to renovate the historic structure. The Friends group working to restore it is also lobbying to have serve as the train station."It could," says Richard Murphy, city planner for Ypsilanti. "I think they could be linked or they could stand separately."The Depot Town DDA is expected to take up the matter later this month. Brian Vosburg, executive director of the Depot Town DDA, said he doesn’t know which side the board will decide. "The board has people on both sides," Vosburg says.The City Council will take up the matter in May. All of these recommendations could be for naught since SEMCOG, which is running the project, will make the ultimate decision.Source: Richard Murphy, city planner for Ypsilanti and Brian Vosburg, executive director of the Depot Town Downtown Development AuthorityWriter: Jon Zemke

A123Systems receives financing, expands Michigan operations

By Newsroom

●

Environment & Sustainability

●

April 15, 2009

A123Systems' latest announcement to build new lithium ion battery factories may seem on the surface like a win for Novi, where one of the plants will be built.The Massachusetts-based firm also has a research facility in Ann Arbor. The facility has grown significantly in recent years (the company went from 300 to more than 1,000 employees in one year) and expects to mushroom more soon as the company looks to expand in Michigan.The money for this expansion is coming from a $69 million investment from GE. That money will primarily go toward growing the lithium ion battery and smart grid technologies. This is GE's seventh investment in the company, upping its ownership stake to more than 10 percent.A123Systems hopes to use this money to help leverage more investment from federal and state government sources. Billions in federal tax dollars have already been set aside for the development of lithium ion batteries. That has let A123Systems aim to help put 5 million hybrid or plug-in electric vehicles on the road by 2013.Source: A123SystemsWriter: Jon Zemke

Historic Jackson railroad station set for renovation

By Newsroom

●

Development News

●

April 15, 2009

Jackson is bolstering its argument for inclusion in the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line, this time by investing in renovation of its downtown-area train station.The state is dedicating $938,000 to renovating parts of the Jackson Amtrak Depot and the nearby Express Building. The depot, built in 1873, is a stop on the Chicago/Detroit/Pontiac high-speed Amtrak rail corridor."It's a historic location," says Bruce Inosencio, a spokesman for the Jackson Citizens for Economic Growth. "It's one of the oldest working passenger train depots in the country."The Jackson Amtrak Intermodal Feasibility Study points to both buildings as needing about $10 million in renovations, such as fixing drainage problems, repairing masonry, and replacing a roof. The idea is to continue to use them as a train station. Work is expected to begin this summer.Jackson is lobbying the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments to add it as the westward stop on the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line. The area has a rail yard not far from its station that it is offering for the commuter rail line to use for maintenance work.Source: Bruce Inosencio, spokesman for the Jackson Citizens for Economic GrowthWriter: Jon Zemke

Ypsilanti Freighthouse cashes $500K check for repairs

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

April 15, 2009

The money is really starting to roll into the Ypsilanti Freighthouse. The Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse recently received a $500,000 check from the state to fund sufficient repairs to the building to allow it to reopen its doors.That's on top of a $100,000 grant it recently received from the Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation. And on top of the tens of thousands of dollars the friends group has raised for the cause locally. It all adds up to a second lease on life for the historic building in Depot Town."This will open our doors," says Bonnie Penet, co-chair of the Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse. "Of course we need more but that funds the critical assessment report and allows us to do repairs so we can open the doors."The 130-year-old Freighthouse closed in 2004 due to a couple of significant-but-not-insurmountable issues, such as a bowing west wall and deck filled with unsafe trip hazards. The friends group recently had the surrounding grounds regraded so water will be directed away from the building's base.The 5,000-square-foot, red-brick structure was used as a freighthouse until right after World War II, when it was converted into a warehouse. In 1979 the city bought it and turned it into a community center. It made the state Register of Historic Places in 1997.The friends group is currently waiting for architectural and engineering plans to be drawn up this summer. It hopes to start work by this fall and open in time for the first train from the planned Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line. The friends group is lobbying the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments to use the building as Ypsilanti's station on the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line."If it's on our side of the tracks, we will have a platform on our side connected to the freighthouse," Penet says.Source: Bonnie Penet, co-chair of the Friends of the Ypsilanti FreighthouseWriter: Jon Zemke

New hybrid buses set to roll into Ann Arbor at end of month

By Newsroom

●

Development News

●

April 1, 2009

Seven new hybrid buses are set to hit Ann Arbor's streets quickly yet quietly, offering service by the end of this month. The buses, known for their quieter engines, will be the latest shipment to the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority's fleet, giving the transit authority 27 hybrid buses out of its fleet of 69. "They are being manufactured," says Mary Stasiak, spokeswoman for AATA.The hybrid buses are built by Hayward, California-based Gillig Corp and are significantly more fuel efficient. AATA expects to buy at least 80,000 fewer gallons (10 percent) of B10 bio-diesel per year because of them. The hybrid buses also produce lower levels of pollution, making them a key component of Mayor John Hieftje's initiative to make Ann Arbor more environmentally friendly. Recently, the city started a campaign to transition all its facilities to 30 percent renewable energy by 2010.Source: Mary Stasiak, spokeswoman for AATAWriter: Jon Zemke

Work set to begin again on Dexter Main Street bridge

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

March 25, 2009

Think of this as the home stretch for the Main Street bridge project in downtown Dexter.The Washtenaw County Road Commission plans to begin work on the bridge reconstruction in early April and wrap the whole project up before the end of May. "We expect to be completed with the work in approximately 4-6 weeks," says Aaron Berkholz, construction superintendent with the Washtenaw County Road Commission.Last year workers spent their time removing the 100-year-old dam underneath the bridge, tearing out the old bridge and putting in a replacement -all while allowing traffic to pass. This spring is all about tying up the loose ends.Work crews will be sealing and staining the exterior concrete surfaces, putting the ornamental steel rail on the concrete barrier walls and placing ornamental sandstone caps on the wall columns. Grading, landscaping and remaining road work will also be done this spring. The new $2.5 million bridge will accommodate both motorized and non-motorized traffic. There will still be two-lanes for cars, along with bike lanes and sidewalks for pedestrians. Source: Aaron Berkholz, construction superintendent with the Washtenaw County Road CommissionWriter: Jon Zemke

Ypsilanti Freighthouse looks at more renovations with grant money

By Newsroom

●

Community Development

●

March 25, 2009

The folks trying to save the Ypsilanti Freighthouse are ready to do the heavy lifting required to breathe new life into the historic structure in Depot Town.The Ann Arbor Area Community Foundation has given a $100,000 grant to the Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse. That money will be spent on engineering and architectural drawings that will be used to collect bids for a full renovation project."It's the most important things that need to be done to open the doors," says Bonnie Penet, co-chair of the Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse. "It will be from the foundation up."She hopes to have the drawings in hand within 12 weeks. The Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse are working to raise the rest of the money, at least $550,000, needed to complete structural repairs to the building."We could easily spend a million or more on everything we want," Penet says. "But to just get the doors open is $550,000."The Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse is applying for Federal Stimulus money through MDOT and its also trying to get a federal earmark similar to the one that Tiger Stadium received through U.S. Rep. John Dingell's office. The group is also lobbying the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments to use the building as Ypsilanti's station on the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line.All of that and probably more will be needed to bring the 130-year-old building back to its glory days. The Freighthouse was closed in 2004 due to a couple of significant but not insurmountable issues. For instance, the west wall is bowing out and needs to be repaired. A deck attached to the building needs to be rebuilt. The floor also needs to be refurbished to eliminate trip hazards. Some work has been done when the group got the surrounding grounds regarded so water will be directed away from the building's base.The 5,000-square-foot, red-brick structure was used a freighthouse for the Ypsilanti train station until right after World War II, when it was converted into warehouse. In 1979 the city bought it and turned it into a community center, where it made the state Register of Historic Places in 1997.Source: Bonnie Penet, co-chair of the Friends of the Ypsilanti FreighthouseWriter: Jon Zemke