First & Ashley Street Project

First & Ashley Street Project

Completed in the Fall of 2021, the First & Ashley Street project included the restoration of two-way traffic on both streets, a two-way protected bikeway on the east side of First Street, streetscape and sidewalk improvements, a pedestrian plaza (pictured below), water main upsizing and consolidations, stormwater improvements, and street resurfacing. The project limits extended from Kingsley to Madison. The protected bikeway on First Street connects with the William Street bikeway on the south and the Miller/Catherine bikeway on the north. An advisory bike lane serves cyclists on First Street north of William Street.

Originally, First and Ashley were two-way streets. They were converted to one-way as part of a proposed downtown highway bypass project in the late 1960s that, thankfully, was never implemented. The Ann Arbor District Library archives house some of the rich history surrounding the Bypass project.

Project Information

• Ashley Street updated scope and timeline
• Capital Improvements committee presentation Oct. 2019
• Capital Improvements committee presentation June 2019
• Capital Improvements committee presentation November 2018
• Capital Improvements committee presentation September 2018
• City Council Resolution approving restoration of two-way traffic on First & Ashley August 2018
• Transportation Commission resolution support First & Ashley Street key concepts July 2018
• City Council work session presentation June 2018
• Transportation Feasibility Study
• Public Engagement Summary June 2018
• Public Engagement presentation June 2018
• Public Engagement video of presentation March 2018