Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti expand mass transit options

Wednesday, May 27, 2009 | Source: Concentrate

Options for getting around without a car (or at least fewer cars) in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti are moving forward.

The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority is creating plans to build a Park & Ride lot at the intersection of Plymouth Road and U.S. 23. The new 245-space lot would provide more space for commuters to ditch their single-occupant automobiles for options like car or van pooling. AATA is also working on providing bus service to the lot.

The Ypsilanti City Council also sided with the city’s Planning Commission and Depot Town Downtown Development Authority to put Ypsilanti’s proposed train station on the west side of the tracks. The station would be Ypsilanti’s stop on the Detroit-Ann Arbor commuter train line, set to begin operation late next year.

The station is set for Depot Town because that is the closest city center to the rail line. The west side of the tracks is directly behind Depot Town’s historic commercial strip and provides easy access to a large parking lot. The Friends of the Ypsilanti Freighthouse is also lobbying to turn the historic structure into the actual station.

Source: April McGrath, assistant city manager for Ypsilanti and the city of Ann Arbor
Writer: Jon Zemke