Ann Arbor aims to make all downtown byways complete streets

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 | Source: Concentrate

Ann Arbor's current reconstruction of Fifth Avenue and Division Street through downtown has many of the things that make an urbanist happy - bike lanes, bump outs and street furniture.

It's part of the city and Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority's plan to turn more of downtown's thoroughfares in the city's center into complete streets. Think of byways that facility all forms of transportation, such as pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.

"It's meant to support what was there," says Susan Pollay, executive director of the Ann Arbor DDA. "When we're done it won't even look like we were there."

She is referring to how cities across the U.S. have become automobile dominant, sacrificing infrastructure meant for pedestrians and bicyclists for cars. It turned out to be a philosophy that encouraged driving through instead of stopping by.

The complete street concept brings the urban byways back to their roots, putting pedestrians, cyclists and motorists on an even playing field. The idea even makes legal sense since all of those forms of transportation have equal rights to the road.

The Fifth and Division projects, currently underway, are expanding the sidewalks, creating bike lanes, installing crosswalks, making room for on-street parking, adding bike racks, replacing streetlights and resurfacing the pavement between Packard and Depot. In areas that have brick-paver streets, those will be rebuilt to reflect their original brick look.

The city has also been doing similar projects outside of its downtown, installing bike lanes and pedestrian islands. The West Stadium Boulevard project between Maple Road and Pauline Street made room for bikes, pedestrians and motorists in a corridor that has been historically automotive oriented since it was developed in the 1950s. The city is also looking at turning Huron Street in downtown and Main Street north of downtown into complete streets.

"This a community that gets it," Pollay says. "You don’t pit one against the other. You design it to complement each mode of transportation."

Source: Susan Pollay, executive director of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority
Writer: Jon Zemke