Streetcars, BRT and commuter rail stations in Ann Arbor?

Wednesday, May 13, 2009 | Source: Concentrate

Ann Arbor is about to lay some serious tracks (pun intended) in its effort to improve mass transit.

The City Council will consider approving funds for the Ann Arbor Connector Feasibility Study - a study that would call for creating a crescent moon-shaped line for either streetcars or bus rapid transit system or enhance bus service. It's also looking at announcing plans for a multi-modal mass transit station in the Fuller Park parking lot.

"There are a variety of transportation needs that have made themselves known to us," says Eli Cooper, transportation manager for the city of Ann Arbor.

The crescent-shaped mass transit line would connect the Plymouth Road exit for U.S. 23 to downtown. It would also travel further south along South State Street to Briarwood Mall. The options for enhancing this service include improving bus service, creating a bus rapid transit system or putting in streetcars.

City officials are also looking at possibly building a transit center near the University of Michigan Hospital campus that would service this transit line, the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter rail line, bus service, pedestrians and bicyclists.

This multi-million dollar project is still in its infancy. City officials are planning to build it at the Fuller Park parking lot next to the Huron River, Border to Border Trail, Plymouth Road and U-M Hospital.

Source: Eli Cooper, transportation manager for the city of Ann Arbor
Writer: Jon Zemke