Downtown Area Circulation Study

Downtown Area Circulation Study

The Ann Arbor Downtown Area Circulation (DAC) Study is a collaboration between the Ann Arbor DDA and the City of Ann Arbor. The study, scheduled to begin in the summer of 2023, will take a holistic look at the transportation systems and multi-modal access in the Downtown area as well as connections from adjacent neighborhoods. This study will identify opportunities and inform priorities for future capital improvements to the downtown and near-downtown transportation systems.

The study will be guided by the DDA’s values and the values and goals established in the city’s Moving Together Transportation Plan. Collectively, these values emphasize the following key priorities:

• Safety for all people, regardless of their age, ability, or transportation choices
• Improve access to the downtown for all people
• Support the affordability, livability, and economic vibrancy of the downtown
• Advance carbon neutrality goals and improve resilience and sustainability

This work will be organized around the following primary tasks:

1. Multi-Modal Operational Model – The project will utilize existing and to-be-collected bike, pedestrian, and vehicle traffic data to assemble a transportation operational model for the downtown area. This modal will support grounded decision-making throughout the DAC Study tasks.
2. Active Transportation System Plan & Project Design – This task will build on the adopted Moving Together Transportation Plan to provide more detailed plan recommendations for expanding the All Ages and Abilities bicycle network in the downtown and to adjacent neighborhoods. Up to six individual projects will be identified and evaluated in terms of feasibility and multi-modal transportation impacts. Feasible projects will be carried through a conceptual design phase of work, which will include community engagement activities.
3. Transit Plan Alignment & Transit Priority Streets – This task will identify opportunities for improving transit operations and connections into and through the downtown, including consideration of transit priority streets and how those would be realized. Opportunities will be assessed relative to the multi-model transportation model.
4. Fifth & Division Two-Way Restoration Feasibility Study – This task will assess the feasibility, operational implications, and costs/benefits of restoring Fifth Ave and Division Street into two-way streets. This will include a thorough multi-modal operational analysis, the design of conceptual changes to the corridor, and public and stakeholder engagement efforts.
5. Event Streets Feasibility Studies – This task will consider a range of special/event street designations for pedestrian-oriented streets downtown and assess the feasibility and nature of future designs for these streets. This may include consideration of pedestrian-only malls, curbless streets, festival streets, and shared-street designs on up to four different streets.

Community and stakeholder engagement will be critical to the success of the project and building support for recommendations. A specific public engagement plan will be developed at the onset of the project and will include focused engagement sessions with stakeholders/public related to the six potential bikeway projects, Fifth & Division Two-way restoration study, and four special event pedestrian-oriented streets.