Updates

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Traffic, Construction, & Ward 3 Updates

  • THE PITTSFIELD VILLAGE IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT - The City of Ann Arbor is embarking on a project to improve the stormwater, drainage and drinking water infrastructure currently serving the Pittsfield Village area. These improvements, to be completed in 2026 will:

    • Reduce surface flooding

    • Reduce the risk of basement backups

    • Improve roadway drainage

    • Increase fire protection and minimize service losses should a water main break occur

    • Remove master meters to the neighborhood that will provide more detailed information on water use and quickly identify leaks

    • Improve streets and sidewalks as part of the city's program to increase access for people of all ages and abilities, consistent with Ann Arbor's Vision Zero transportation plan​

      Timeline

      Public Engagement: Summer 2024-Fall 2026

      Phase 1 Construction - Spring/Fall 2025

      Phase 2 Construction - Spring/Fall 2026

      Impacts to residents, visitors​ and surrounding areas

      ​​​This project will have a significant impact on the daily routine of residents and those visiting or passing through the neighborhood. The projec​t team will be working with residents, the Pittsfield Village Condominium Association and Pittsfield Elementary School/Ann Arbor Public Schools to determine how to best mitigate construction impacts.

      • Noise and dust during construction

      • Reduction of on-street parking

      • Street and sidewalk closures

      • Interruption of water service during water main construction

      • Disruption to events, deliveries, and solid waste/recycling collection during construction.

      • Disruption to Pittsfield Elementary school pick-up and drop-off locations.

        NOTE: The school will remain accessible throughout construction.​

  • 2025 MISCELLANEOUS UTILITY PROJECT - Harding Road: Morton ​Avenue to Wallingford Road - Currently, there is no water main or sanitary sewer on Harding and the houses are served by non-compliant leads. The road is in poor condition. Staff is also examining the Y intersection located at Wallingford and Harding Roads for possible safety improvements. Wide road segments such as these have been identified in the city's Vision Zero Transportation plan and Council Resolution R-23-330​, as areas of focus to better the community's all ages and abilities network as well as reduce vehicle speed to improve safety. 

    Work to be done

    • A new 8-inch water main will be installed down Harding and create a loop between Morton and Wallingford. The residences on Harding will be connected to the new main with standard leads perpendicular to the main.

    • A new 8-inch sanitary sewer will be installed down Harding and create the opportunity for the adjacent residences to connect to the main with standard leads in front of their parcel.

    • The intersection of Wallingford and Harding will be reconfigured to a 90 degree turn with the intention of slowing traffic.

    • The road will be repaved.

      Timeline

      Public Engagement: Summer 2024-Fall 2026

      Phase 1 Construction - Spring/Fall 2025

      Phase 2 Construction - Spring/Fall 2026

    Possible construction impacts

    • Street closures: residential access will be maintained but may include delays during working hours. Cross street traffic will be maintained as much as possible.

    • Water service will be interrupted for short durations during water main installation. Planned disruptions will be limited, and residents will be informed in advance.

    • Water main breaks happen during construction, these are not planned therefore notifications are not possible. The breaks will be repaired, and water service will be restored as soon as possible.

    • General noise and dust from equipment, particularly during site excavation.

    • Relocation and the addition of new fire hydrants may change or eliminate some on-street parking along the streets.

    • Mail and delivery services, as well as garbage, compost, and recycling pick up will not be affected.

    • The project limits are within the City Right-of-Way which extends from the center of the road to 1 foot behind the back of the sidewalk on both sides of the road. The contractor will be allowed to store materials and equipment in this area (outside of tree canopies). Any disturbed area will be restored with grass seed after the project.

    • The excavated ar​ea will be generally limited to the road, however, some curb is planned to be removed and replaced which will disturb the area 1-2 feet behind the curb. Any private utilities i.e. sprinkler systems within the City's Right-of-Way are the responsibility of the homeowner and may not be repaired if damaged during the project.

    • Construction notifications, with an estimated schedule, will be delivered prior to construction.

  • YORKSHIRE, INDEPENDENCE, AND MEDFORD (Y.I.M.) WATER MAIN AND ROAD IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT - COMPLETE

  • BARTON, BROCKMAN, AND CRESTLAND SIDEWALK PROJECT - Brockman Boulevard from Packard Street to Ferdon Road // Crestland Drive from Packard Street to F​erdon Road​​ - Filling gaps in the sidewalk system is consistent with both Ann Arbor's Moving Together Towards Vision Zero transportation plan and Complete Streets Policy. Providing sidewalks where they currently do not exist can:

    • Improve pedestrian safety

    • Encourage active transportation and community health

    • Provide a continuous user experience

    • Provide more transportation options

    • Eliminate the practice of walking along the road and across traffic

      The city developed a prioritization system for the public right-of-way where sidewalks do not currently exist. The system considers proximity to schools, transit, and other pedestrian attractors; equity; classification of adjacent road; community support/citizen requests; and safety. This system identifies the highest priority sidewalk gaps for inclusion in the City's Capital Improvements Plan (CIP). Please visit the city's new sidewalk website ​for more information and to view the dashboard.

    Work to be done

    • New sidewalks will be installed along missing gaps on Barton, Brockman and Crestland Sidewalk Gaps. Design has not started yet, we plan on hearing input from the public in order to account for these concerns during design, and also request public input after we have an initial design.

      Timeline​

    • Summer 2024 - Land Survey

    • Fall 2024 - Summer 2025 - Initial Design & Public Engagement

    • Fall 2025 – Finalize Design & Bid project

    • Summer 2026 – Construction ​

      Possible impacts

    • During the planning and design process, city staff will reach out to the neighborhood and to individual property owners adjacent to the project to discuss the details of the project.

    • While determining the side the new sidewalk is built on and the alignment of the sidewalk within the right-of-way, staff will consider the following:

      • Feedback from the neighborhood;

      • Removing and/or saving trees;

      • Removing and/or maintaining parking;

      • Reducing the road width;

      • Existing utilities, fences, landscaping, and drainage.

        Costs and funding source

    • City of Ann Arbor New Sidewalk Millage​

      ​​

      Documents and materials

    • ​Sept. 12, 2024 Information session

      • Project overview video (YouTube)

      • Powerpoint slides​ (PDF)

Current Project Engagement Opportunities

Information Session #1 - Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024​

​Information Session #2: Project Impacts - Late Fall 2024

Information Session #3: Pre-Construction Phase 1 - Spring 2025

Information Session #4: Pre-Construction Phase 2 - Spring 2026

Virtual meeting (Harding and Wallingford intersection)

​​Thursday, Nov. 15 from 5-7:30 p.m.​

Join City of Ann Arbor staff online for a meeting to learn details of the upcoming utilities and road reconfiguration project at the Harding and Wallingford intersection. Staff will share the project purpose and design as well as details on the construction process.

Meeting link to be posted the day of the meeting.

Current Project Engagement Opportunities

Right to Sit

The right to sit at work is a labor rights, human rights, and disability rights issue. This right was historically protected in the U.S. under labor regulations in almost all states, ensuring that employees could sit during their work hours when it did not interfere with their job duties. The State of Michigan repealed its right to sit law in 1975, leaving many workers vulnerable to unhealthy and unjust working conditions where they are denied the ability to sit during their work hours.

I watched my hairdresser be reprimanded for sitting on the job and she explained that, because she did not have health insurance, she was not able to receive workplace accommodations. From there I was inspired to write this into law.

On 10/21 the Ann Arbor City Council unanimously voted to amend the city’s non-discrimination ordinance to include a provision which protects the right to sit. Below is the language included in the ordinance change:

“Employers who employ any individuals in any business, such as manufacturing, retail, store, department store, laundry, hotel, restaurant, fast food and drive thru establishments, hairdressers, barbers, and estheticians, shall, regardless of any disability or not, permit employees to sit when sitting does not interfere with the duties of their employment. Employer bears the burden of showing compliance is infeasible because sitting interferes with the duties of employment.”

This will be enforced by the Human Rights Commission (HRC) by reviewing complaints submitted by individuals who feel their right to sit is not being upheld in the workplace. If the HRC cannot resolve the matter, it will be submitted to the City Attorney’s Office for potential enforcement.

The council also voted to approve the passage of an associated resolution that outlines the purpose of the right to sit and calls for the city to engage with the Michigan State Legislature to advocate for statewide legislation. Rep. Dylan Wegela and Rep. Carrie Rheingans have now officially introduced HB 5983 to ensure the Right to Sit at the state level!

For more information about the proposed right to sit law, folks may review this FAQ for Businesses document.

#RightToSitA2

#MIRightToSit

NEWS COVERAGE:

10.9.24

9.18.24

Ban the box in city contracting

With our county having one of the highest rates of recidivism in the state, this ordinance amendment is an important change to our city’s Non-Discrimination Ordinance. This asks Ann Arbor contractors to evaluate if a person is a good fit for a job based on their qualifications and allows a criminal background check to be performed only once a conditional job offer is made. Employment reduces recidivism and is so important for a good quality of life #BanTheBox.

View the MLive article here.

sidewalk infrastructure and accessibility concerns: My work with CODI and city staff

  • E-scooter/e-bike parking – Spin is a private micro-mobility company that has approval to operate e-scooters (450) and e-bikes (100) in the City of Ann Arbor. Part of our contract with them includes measures to make sure scooters and bikes are appropriately parked. First time users have to agree to the terms of operation which include proper parking protocols. Additionally, when users end every trip, they must take a picture of how they left the scooter/bike to ensure the vehicles are properly parked. Repeat offenders of improperly parked vehicles can have their account suspended. We recognize that these measures alone do not lead to 100% compliance for proper parking – which is why the City has 2 categories in A2Fix for “abandoned bicycle” and “abandoned scooter.” These complaints go to Community Standards and Spin to address in a timely manner. For reference there were 46 such complaints registered in A2FixIt from March 2022 to March 2023; 16 of which required corrective action; 26 of which were either not problematic or the scooter was gone upon arrival.

  • Sidewalk gaps – when the sidewalk millage was passed by the voters of Ann Arbor a few years ago, staff developed a prioritization matrix in an effort to program the work that needed to be done. The scoring matrix takes into account: pedestrian crashes; proximity to schools; evidence of community support; transportation equity; classification of adjacent road; proximity to a library, government office, major commercial attractor, or park; proximity to transit; near term opportunity in the City Transportation Plan; and if City-owned parcels are involved. More information on sidewalk gaps can be found at www.a2gov.org/newsidewalks.

  • Sidewalk stairs – the City has been removing stairs in sidewalks for some years. Recent accomplishments include State/Kingsley, a couple of locations along Geddes Ave, and there is currently a project in the works to remove the stairs on Geddes at Onondaga. The City is aware of the stairs at Third and Krause and that project will be added to the Capital Improvements Program later this year. There is no timeline yet established for that project.

If you have thoughts, questions, or suggestions, please contact the Committee on Disability Issues (CODI). You can visit the CODI website or email CODI@a2gov.org.

Disability Voting Rights Week Proclamation

At our 9/5 meeting, a Proclamation I helped author, honoring the week of Sept. 11th as Disability Voting Rights Week, was presented by Mayor Taylor and accepted by the chair of our City’s Commission on Disability Issues (CODI). The proclamation also speaks to the need for a new election protection center to increase accessibility and safety during the voting process. It highlights the need for people with disabilities - like everyone else - to be given an accessible and private place to vote. I want to thank Mayor Taylor, my colleagues, the members of CODI, and our city for honoring this week in Ann Arbor. Special thank you to Dessa Cosma, Executive Director of Detroit Disability Power, for providing comments on the importance of this proclamation.

Working to end Subminimum Wage in Michigan

I was proud to be the lead sponsor on a Resolution advocating for the State of Michigan to phase out its use of 14(c) certificates and subminimum wage for workers with disabilities. The resolution passed with full support at our 9/5 meeting. This bill demonstrates our city’s commitment to advocating for inclusion and equity throughout the state and to providing equal opportunity and compensation for all workers. Special thanks to the Disability Network of Washtenaw, Monroe, and Livingston counties for your assistance in drafting this resolution.

equity-centered FY24 Budget Amendments

At the May 15th City Council meeting, several amendments were made to appropriate portions of the Marijuana Excise Tax toward equity-centered services and initiatives.

I was proud to co-sponsor a resolution to amend the FY24 budget to appropriate $500,000 of the Marijuana Excise Tax Rebate toward eviction prevention and low-income youth services. I was also a co-sponsor of a resolution to amend the FY24 budget to appropriate $400,000 of the Marijuana Excise Tax Revenue toward Comprehensive Trauma-Informed Supportive Services and Case Management for Returning Citizens and Residents Impacted by the Criminal Legal System with Tenant-Based Vouchers.

I was proud to support all of the proposed amendments, as they focus on ensuring that equity is at the center of the work we, as Councilmembers, do and that all in our community are equitably served and supported.

Photo by Ryan Stanton, MLive.

Bicentennial Park amended

At the May 15th City Council meeting, I proposed a Resolution Directing the City Administrator to Designate Southeast Area Park as the 2024 Bicentennial Park. The resolution passed unanimously and is important as it is really about equity and inclusion. Read the resolution here and a recent article from MLive here.

ID Card Non-Discrimination Ordinance Amended

As of the February 21st, 2023, Ann Arbor City Council Meeting, the “Ordinance to Amend Chapter 112 of the Ann Arbor Non-Discrimination Ordinance” passed unanimously by Council. I was the lead sponsor of this ordinance, which aims to protect people from discrimination who use a valid, government-issued ID. Discrimination based on ID affects thousands of people in the community, barring access to resources like housing assistance, employment, healthcare, bank accounts, and more. This ordinance makes our entire community stronger, healthier, and more vibrant. Councilmembers Linh Song and Travis Radina helped to co-sponsor this ordinance. 

The Chair of the Washtenaw County’s ID Program Task Force and Human Rights Commissioner, Attorney Keta Cowan, was the primary architect of this ordinance. I am honored to have worked alongside Commissioner Cowan in making this important change to our Non-Discrimination Ordinance. 

You can read the ordinance here. The passing of this ordinance was also covered by WEMU and MLive.

If you need an ID, regardless of citizenship or housing status, they are available from the Washtenaw County Clerk’s Office at 200 N. Main St. for $10.  

For more information on gaining a government-issued ID, visit:

If you have experienced discrimination based on using a government-issued ID, contact the Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission by visiting their website or emailing HRC@a2gov.org. 

Energy Justice for all

I was the primary sponsor of a resolution requesting that the City, the Michigan Legislature, and the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC) create policy changes that hold DTE accountable - not to their shareholders, but to US - and advance energy equity.

We hear our residents, and this can't go on.

Read the resolution here.

Read an article on the resolution published by MLive here.

The end to the cycle of unnecessary and preventable gun violence is long overdue.

I co-sponsored a resolution calling for the state legislature to act on gun reform. Similar to what so many face in our country every day, I shared my personal experience with gun violence and the domino effect of gun violence that this incident led to, causing immeasurable community harm and trauma.

I added two amendments to the resolution as well - one citing how BIPOC communities are disproportionately impacted by gun violence and must be at the table in policy-making, and a resolved cause directing the Michigan legislature to commit to adequately funding gun violence prevention and strong enforcement mechanisms without contributing to further mass incarceration.

When we focus on policy solutions to gun violence, reconciliation with communities of color must be an explicit part of equitable advocacy and policy development on gun reform.

I am honored to be part of this resolution. Read more here.

Justice for United Six Protest

On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 16, 2023, I joined community members in protest against United Electrical Contractors and Landmark Properties. The companies have a reported history of perpetuating racism in the workplace by means of racial discrimination, visual imagery and mockery, and more. United in protest, Ann Arbor residents, and beyond, made it known that #NoJusticeNoPeace #JusticeForUnitedSix

To learn more about the protest, read this article: https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2023/01/anti-racism-protest-in-ann-arbor-takes-aim-at-building-contractor-on-mlk-day.html.