Comments on: AAATA Secures BTC, Applauds City Council

By: Dave Askins

Dave Askins — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 14:41:08 +0000

Re: the idea of UM operating longer-distance coaches for its employees I should have also included this new shuttle to Detroit that UM is operating as part of the mix: [link]

By: Dave Askins

Dave Askins — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 19:38:00 +0000

Re: the idea of UM operating longer-distance coaches for its employees The efforts of Google and other tech firms in the San Francisco area to provide motor coaches for their workers have been so successful that they've generated a certain amount of pushback (e.g., because they take up space at the public transportation bus stops, where they also pick up passengers.) [link] But those efforts do seem to demonstrate the viability of the concept. [link] And I would think that by studying what works and what doesn't in SF, and what's different between the SF context and ours, UM might use that approach to take a bite out of the problem.

By: Tom Whitaker

Tom Whitaker — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 18:58:09 +0000

I still can’t fathom why UM, and especially the UM Medical Center, wouldn’t look into the practicality of operating coaches to bring in their employees from Livingston County and elsewhere. From my observation, a large portion of the rush hour traffic between Main and M-14 consists of UM hospital employees, a fair number of whom already use the vanpools. Why not just step this up to another level? THe coaches would use existing road infrastructure, perhaps combine some vanpools (opening up parking spaces for visitors and patients), and in theory, save UM from having to build more expensive and ugly parking structures.

Of course, the ideal, “sustainable” solution would be for UM to build (or partner with a private developer to build) housing for employees that would be close enough to the medical center that the only commute would be a short walk.

By: Larry Baird

Larry Baird — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 15:16:00 +0000

In terms of future Park and Ride lots, the AAATA’s master plan should be adaptable when certain opportunities arise like free land along US23.

The Main Street rush hour backup which occurs every evening not only inconveniences the commuters heading north, but the city residents trying to get across town. The situation is only getting worse and as Vivienne points out, WALLY would only divert about 5% of the current traffic count.

Now is the time for the AAATA to be reaching out to UM and Northfield Twp. to see if there is any interest in partnering up for a new route up either US23 and/or Whitmore Lake Rd. UM is helping subsidize the Canton route so why not help out their employees coming in from the north as well?

Also, consider expanding the AirRide schedule again to accommodate a few stops along US23 at the new Park and Ride lots? This could help commuters going to either Lansing or Ann Arbor!

By: Vivienne Armentrout

Vivienne Armentrout — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 20:41:34 +0000

Regarding the MDOT proposal, I was present at the PDC meeting where the presentation was made. It was my impression that there is a certain amount of pushback based on the wish by some that MDOT would put money into WALLY instead of the highway. This was actually addressed in one slide of the presentation, which stated that the two can operate concurrently. Mark Sweeney from MDOT said at one point that WALLY could account for 1,500 passengers (one way) but average daily traffic on US 23 (one way) is 33,000. This post [link] enunciates the competition between these two solutions to the congestion on US23. Personally, I would think that the one-time investment in new Park and Ride lots would be worthwhile. But it would mean a significant service expansion for AAATA to run buses up US23 to those lots, not a trivial decision. Still, if the objective is to reduce automobile flow into Ann Arbor (especially down Main Street), it seems worthy of a second thought, at least.

By: Jim Rees

Jim Rees — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 00:22:41 +0000

The 17 minute average headway seems low to me, considering most buses run every half hour during the day, and every hour evenings and weekends.