Pardon me boy, is that the ArtTrain? For 38 years Ann Arbor's museum on rails has brought fine art to communities across the nation. Actually, 845 of 'em (that's 3.2 million people). And now they're branching out. ArtTruck anyone?
In the race to develop batteries for tomorrow's electric-based cars, the University of Michigan is leading the pack.General Motors is partnering with U-M to develop the advanced batteries for its next generation of electricity-based automobiles, like the Chevrolet Volt. That means GM is giving the university $5 million to establish the Advanced Battery Coalition for Drivetrains Labratory, which will call Ann Arbor home. Ann Marie Sastry, a prominent engineering professor at U-M, will lead the lab. Satsry is a big player in advanced battery research and pushing forward the further electrification of the automobile. She is the director of the Energy Systems Engineering Program at U-M (where GM sends its engineers to learn about electric cars) and is the CEO of Satki3, an Ann Arbor-based start-up that focuses on developing high-powered automotive batteries.The lab will accelerate the design and testing of advanced batteries for electric vehicles. GM has been betting big on the success of that technology, pinning its future hopes of profitability to the likes of the Volt and recently announced Cadillac Converj.Source: University of MichiganWriter: Jon Zemke
Roundabouts are popping around Washtenaw County with the ferocity of daisies, but not quite as annoying. The latest is planned for the intersection of Whitaker and Stony Creek roads in Ypsilanti. The area has experienced commercial development pressure in recent years, forcing officials at the Washtenaw County Road Commission to come up with the right way to make traffic flow smoothly through the intersection."We dug into out toolbox to save what else we could do with the intersection," says Mark McCulloch, project engineer for the Washtenaw County Road Commission.The options basically whittled down to expanding the traffic signal currently there or go with a roundabout. The commission chose the latter, planning to build the roundabout in 2010 for about $1-$1.3 million.There are currently seven roundabouts in existence in Washtenaw County today and another one on the way. Three more, including this newest one, are still in the planning stages. Most will be located in and around Ann Arbor. This is the first for Ypsilanti.Modern roundabouts include a central island to guide the vehicular traffic and splitter islands at each leg of an intersection. One-way traffic moves around the central island where entering traffic must yield to the traffic already in the roundabout.Traffic circles slow and calm traffic, resulting in fewer accidents. They also decrease delays and cut down on the number of idling vehicles, reducing air pollution.They are common throughout Europe and have been appearing more frequently in North America in recent years. More common on the coasts, roundabouts and traffic circles have been popping up in southeast Michigan's suburbs in recent years.Source: Mark McCulloch, project engineer for the Washtenaw County Road CommissionWriter: Jon Zemke
The short stretch of Monroe Street on the University of Michigan's campus could undergo some radical changes within the next few years.Those changes include turning part of the street next to the Law Quad into a pedestrian only space and possible future expansion to Casa Dominick's, a local drinking institution for students and townies. Dominick DeVarti started Casa Dominick’s on a shoe-string budget in 1960. The 2-story building overlooking the Law Quad has become famous for its Sangria and relaxing second story patio. The owners of Dominick's are asking Ann Arbor to approve a Planned Unit Development designation for the property that houses Dominic's and two adjacent houses that serve as student rentals. The uses listed in the PUD include restaurant, residential apartments, offices and one or more bed and breakfasts. Matthew Krichaum, an attorney representing Dominick's, says city officials asked the owners to request anything they would need within the next 50 years now instead of coming to the city in a piecemeal fashion. The owners don't plan to change Dominick's atmosphere, but only make small changes in the long-term, such as adding outdoor seating, turning the rentals into a bed & breakfast or adding another floor to the back of the property."We're not asking for anything more than three stories," Krichaum says.U-M officials have also formally asked the city to put the block of Monroe just west of Dominick's on a vacation. That's fancy planning speak for turning it into a pedestrian-only thoroughfare.The reason is because the Law Quad is expanding to the surface parking lot across the street. University officials want to make it more continuous with the original Law Quad. However, that probably won't come until the project is complete in 2012."It will probably be a few years," says Jim Kosteva, director of community relations for the University of Michigan. "It's the desire of the university to close the street for everyday vehicles use in conjunction with the construction of the law school."Source: Matthew Krichaum, an attorney representing Casa Dominick's and Jim Kosteva, director of community relations for the University of MichiganWriter: Jon Zemke
The University of Michigan and General Motors have long been bastions of innovation, often by working together. Now the two institutions are ratcheting up their cooperation as GM sends more of its engineers to U-M to develop the next generation of electric cars."This is a big problem," says Ann Marie Sastry, director of the Energy Systems Engineering Program at the University of Michigan. "Electrification of the vehicle is a paradigm change. It affects every system in the vehicle."Which means scores of automotive engineers are going to have relearn how to do their jobs. It’s an even bigger priority at GM, which is betting a lot of its future success on game-changing vehicles like the plug-in Chevrolet Volt. For now GM will send 50 of its top engineers to U-M to complete their master degree in engineering while working full-time at the auto-maker. They will specialize in energy systems engineering. The whole process is expected to take 4.5 years."We need a methodology to retrain our workforce," says Bob Kruse, executive director of global vehicle engineering for hybrids, electric vehicles and batteries for GM.Not that GM has been slouch in that department. Sastry points out that GM’s continuing education programs are routinely the benchmark for the corporate world with firm’s like Microsoft taking meticulous notes on them.The first cohort of engineers will start in January. A second cohort of a size to be determined will begin next fall. Both Sastry and Kruse see many more of GM’s engineers going into the program for the foreseeable future."The only vector is up," Sastry says. "I think this will not only grow but there will be imitators."Source: Ann Marie Sastry, director of the Energy Systems Engineering Program at the University of Michigan and Bob Kruse, executive director of global vehicle engineering for hybrids, electric vehicles and batteries for GMWriter: Jon Zemke
Ann Arbor’s Toyota engineering facility is starting to design cars from start to finish. Excerpt: The Toyota Venza, which will arrive in dealer showrooms in December, represents a milestone for its design team and more than 300 engineers in Ann Arbor Township who worked on the vehicle and is likely to lead to more high-profile work for Toyota's Michigan employees. The Venza -- a car that Toyota says is not a crossover or a station wagon, but resembles both -- is the first vehicle designed and engineered from the concept to the final production stage at Toyota's Calty Design Research studios in Ann Arbor Township and Newport Beach, Calif. It was engineered at the Toyota Technical Center in Ann Arbor Township. Read the rest of the story here.
Imagine, not paying for gas. Ever. U-M's Solar Car Team brings together engineering, business and design school majors to develop the ultimate sustainable vehicle. How successful have they been? The team has taken home top honors at the North American Solar Challenge for the last five years!
Ann Arbor went for the gold and got it! The city was recently awarded a gold-level Active Communities Award.An Active Communities Award is a fancy, bureaucratic way of saying a community that encourages people to get around by walking, running, bicycling and just about any way other than automobile. Needless to say, having one of those at the "gold level" says that community is really good at it.Michigan's Promoting Active Communities Program pushed communities across the state to create and maintain an infrastructure that encourages physical activity, like walking, running and bicycling. Ann Arbor is one of 95 communities participating in the program and 23 that won an award.Ann Arbor received its kudos because the city coordinates its efforts with a number of local organizations, such as Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority, Ann Arbor Public Schools, Ann Arbor Transportation Authority and the Ann Arbor Area Chamber of Commerce. Among the city's attributes that helped it get to the gold level, which is the second highest designation, are bike lanes, promoting Curb-Your-Car Month and developing the Border-to-Border Trail, among others. Other statistics that helped Ann Arbor are: The city has been named the No. 10 Greenest Commuter Community 7.9 percent of city residents bike or walk to work (the U.S. averages 3.21 percent) AARP ranked it the No. 1 Healthiest Hometown in the U.S. Prevention Magazine and the American Podiatric Medical Association designated it No. 3 as the Best Walking City. Source: City of Ann ArborWriter: Jon Zemke
The second half of Dexter’s Main Street Bridge is about to come online. Workers at the Washtenaw County Road Commission plan to begin building the rest of the bridge deck next week. If all goes well and snow stays out of the forecast, county officials expect to reopen the entire bridge by the end of November. "We're thinking traffic will be allowed in the full width of the bridge right around the first week of December," says Aaron Berkholz, construction superintendent with the Washtenaw County Road Commission.The road commission has been rebuilding the old, worn out bridge for most of this year. It began by tearing out the century-old dam beneath before workers refurbished half of the bridge. The other side was left open to allow for traffic to pass. Once the first half was finished, the road commission directed motorists to the new half and began tearing out the other side. The entire project is expected to wrap up next spring when the road commission adds some finishing touches, such as paint and landscaping. The bridge is connected to a major artery into Dexter, just west of downtown. The decades-old structure had worn down to the point where its pot holes had pot holes. The dam below had ceased to be useful, accumulating sediment at one end of the creek. Removal of the dam will allow for the marsh like area to be drained and a river walk to be installed on the west side of downtown. Source: Aaron Berkholz, construction superintendent with the Washtenaw County Road CommissionWriter: Jon Zemke
More people are coming and going from downtown Ann Arbor thanks to the go!Pass from the getDowntown program, which is also close to landing a fleet of Zipcars.So far this year, getDowntown has sold 5,350 go!Passes. That's about 400 more than it sold by this time last year. Those passes are also being used more often, accounting for 41,253 rides on Ann Arbor Transportation Authority buses in September. That's up from 32,701 in September, 2007."It's a pretty significant increase," says Nancy Shore, program director of getDowntown.She also is optimistic about downtown Ann Arbor landing its first Zipcar fleet sometime in the near future. The city expects to have a handful of Zipcars ready within 4-6 weeks after Zipcar gives approval."We are just waiting for Zipcar to say yay or nay," Shore says.The University of Michigan Zipcar fleet might be next in line after downtown's fleet is approved. Shore says the fleet on U-M's campus is in high demand and could be ripe for an expansion.Source: Nancy Shore, program director of getDowntownWriter: Jon Zemke
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