Downtown Ann Arbor is definitely one of Michigan's most walkable areas but it's not one of the most parkable.
City leaders think they might have found a way to make parking less of an issue for downtown residents and workers by setting up a Zipcar fleet. Nancy Shore, program director for Ann Arbor's getDowntown initiative, is putting together a proposal to bring three Zipcars to downtown this summer.
Zipcars work similar to a rental car. Users pay an annual membership fee ($35) and then can use one of the Zipcars at $8 an hour to run errands or commute to meetings or for any other uses. Gas, maintenance and insurance are covered, allowing members to have access to a car without having to worry about owning and storing one.
"It's been very successful on the East and West coasts," Shore says. "We're just trying to bring it to Ann Arbor."
In fact, Zipcars are already being used in Tree Town. The University of Michigan has a fleet of 10 on its campus that are used by faculty, students, staff and even some area residents, who would like something closer and more convenient.
Business owners see them as a way to give employees, who come to work by means other than the automobile, more flexibility. City leaders see Zipcars as a way to help relieve congestion. Developers are also interested in them as a way to give potential residents more mobility options in a dense area.
"That way the residents won't feel like they need to have one or two cars around just to get to work," Shore says.
She expects to store the cars near Main Street, State Street and Kerrytown initially. Shore also plans to present the proposal to Ann Arbor's Downtown Development Authority by the end of the month and get the program moving by this summer.
Source: Nancy Shore, the program director for getDowntown
Writer: Jon Zemke
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