Downtown Ann Arbor makes it easier to get around with new signs

Wednesday, May 6, 2009 | Source: Concentrate

Motorists, bicyclist, pedestrians and even skateboarders will be able to figure how to get to and navigate through downtown Ann Arbor very soon.

The Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority is waiting for bids to come back for its way-finding initiative. The project would post signs throughout downtown and around the city that would help attract and keep people in the city's center.

The $1.6 million project would install downtown signs geared for both pedestrians and motorists, helping guide them through the central business district. These would range from the smaller "You Are Here" map signs for pedestrians to the larger "Go this way" signs for motorists and bicyclists. There would also be larger signs at highway exits and major corridors like Washtenaw and Huron Ave. that point the way to downtown.

"It's quite an extensive package," says Susan Pollay, executive director of the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority.

The bids are expected to come back next week and the DDA plans to make a decision in early June. The signs could be posted as soon as late August, just in time for the University of Michigan's football season.

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