Comments on: AATA Targets Specific Short-Term Strategies

By: Rod Johnson

Rod Johnson — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:10:06 +0000

Interesting–I’ve always been under the impression that jaywalking wasn’t prohibited in Ann Arbor. Guess I bought into an urban legend.

It is strange that Weber’s isn’t easily accessible by bus–it seems like a major destination on the west side.

By: Jim Rees

Jim Rees — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:29:54 +0000

Michigan is the only state in the Union that does not give pedestrians the right-of-way in a crosswalk. In the absence of a traffic control device, such as a marked crosswalk or signals, crossing the street is technically illegal unless it can be done without interfering with motor vehicles. Given the speed limit and sight lines, I don’t think it’s physically possible to cross Jackson to Weber’s at normal walking speed and guarantee that you won’t interfere with a motor vehicle.

By: anna ercoli schnitzer

anna ercoli schnitzer — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:44:04 +0000

Kara: Thank you for posting the excellent news that transportation alternatives to improve access to the East Medical Campus are under discussion. May I assume that this includes Domino’s MedSports complex, as well? Transportation alternatives are certainly needed there, too.

By: Kara Gavin

Kara Gavin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:32:12 +0000

I’m posting this on behalf of the U-M Parking & Transportation Services office and the U-M Health System:

U-M is working in cooperation with AATA on several initiatives to develop alternative transportation options for the U-M students, faculty and staff and for UMHS patients. Transportation alternatives to improve access to the East Medical Campus are under discussion.

Thanks,
Kara Gavin
Director of Public Relations, UMHS

By: jcp2

jcp2 — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:35:48 +0000

Jaywalking?

By: Rod Johnson

Rod Johnson — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:24:11 +0000

What’s the “law-breaking” part of that? You just have to cross Jackson, no?

By: Jim Rees

Jim Rees — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 01:38:59 +0000

Why did the AATA hold this meeting in a place that is inaccessible by bus? It’s physically possible to get there from the stop on Jackson, but only if you’re strong, fast, have good eyes, and don’t mind risking your life and breaking the law.

By: Cindy Overmyer

Cindy Overmyer — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:56:52 +0000

I’ve used the U-M shuttle to Domino’s Farms (my dentist and physical therapy) and East Clinic (a couple of referrals)quite a bit in the last several years, and according to the bus drivers, the service is available to anyone (esp. patients), whether you work for U-M or not. It’s come in very handy for getting myself home from major dental work (and anesthesia) alone when I was unable to drive/ride a bike. But for anyone unfamiliar with the Ann Arbor area, figuring out where to transfer to a more direct AATA bus would be very hard and involve even more waiting time, since the Shuttle’s schedules aren’t in synch with AATA’s. Also, the route is extremely convoluted – it takes nearly 40 minutes to get from the N.Ingalls Building out to either Domino’s or the East Clinic because the bus goes to three locations in the Plymouth/Greene area before it even gets across US 23 to the medical campus. To use that system to “run out to a dentist appointment” from work meant nearly 3 1/2 hours there and in transit, more when crowns/oral surgery was involved. My supervisors at work weren’t particularly thrilled, esp. when the trip only takes 10-15 minutes door to door by car. I ended up changing doctors and taking vacation time for more involved dental work – not an ideal situation. Anything that makes the trip out there more direct (and easier!) would be most welcome.

By: Rod Johnson

Rod Johnson — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:55:13 +0000

Fair enough, Tom, good points. In my defense, I don’t think my personal story is about moving to the suburbs, but that’s not really relevant here. I certainly wouldn’t be living in Scio if the community I live in could have been built in A2 though. Scio is a great place to by a car, but otherwise pretty lacking in urban amenities.

There are populations here who don’t fit the golf-course subdivision profile who are very poorly served. Every time I see my disabled neighbors who are living in subsidized housing painstakingly pushing their wheelchairs a half mile over broken pavement to Jackson because there are no sidewalks and no money to fix the roads, I cringe a little bit. They’re there not because they had a dream of living in the country, but because some developer built low-income housing in Bumfuck Egypt and some agency stuck them there. Those folks could use a bus system.

Vivienne–I *think* the current bus service (WAVE) might be partially funded by the SDDA. It’s not a very comprehensive service (four runs a day, I think?) but it’s something.

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 03:45:23 +0000

An interesting factoid about Scio Township/Jackson Road: it has its own DDA and a few years ago it had a bigger tax base than the City of Ann Arbor DDA tax base. You might think some of that could go to transit. At least they put in sidewalks.

Tom, good point about how current transit efforts seem to be rewarding or at least facilitating sprawl.