Last Updated: January 25, 2011
Project Overview
The City of Ann Arbor is currently in the design phase for a project to make improvements to Miller Avenue between North Maple Road and Newport Road. In addition to repaving the roadway, other improvements include replacing some utilities (water main, sanitary sewer), improved bicycle lanes, pedestrian crossings, installation of new sidewalks, traffic improvements, and storm water improvements (such as storm water detention, bio-swales, rain gardens, etc.).
Schedule
In 2009, the City is undertook a public involvement phase to collect input from citizens and other stakeholders in advance of the engineering design phase. As part of this phase of the project, the City formed a Design Advisory Committee (DAC) composed of City Staff and other stakeholders, including members of the public familiar with the corridor. The schedule for this phase was as follows:
April 1, 2009 Public Input Meeting
April 9, 2009 DAC Meeting
April 9 – May 15 Additional surveys mailed out & collected from area residents
(survey results)
May 14, 2009 DAC Meeting (for meeting minutes, click here)
May 14 – mid July City staff to develop some design concepts for review
July 14, 2009 DAC Meeting (for meeting minutes, click here)
July 29, 2009 Public Workshop (see below for more info)
The results of the survey and comments from the Public Input Meeting were used by the City and the DAC to develop the following main goals for the project:
- New pavement
- Safer pedestrian crossings
- Safer bicycle passage
- Storm water quality improvements
- Reduce quantity of storm water runoff
- Don’t make it more difficult for residents to exit their driveways
- Handicap access to bus stops (sidewalk & lead walks)
- Improve traffic flow at the Newport/Miller intersection
- Improve traffic flow around left turning traffic on Miller
With these goals in mind, City staff developed several conceptual design alternatives, which were then presented to the public at the public workshop on July 29th. At this meeting, the various conceptual design alternatives were presented and participants were divided into small groups to discuss each of the options. The different conceptual options that were presented can be downloaded below, as well as a summary of comments from the workshop.
Following the discussion, each participant was asked to select their preferred option for the Miller/Newport intersection, and their preferred option for the main Miller Avenue corridor. The number of people that selected each of the options is summarized below. (Note: This data includes selections made via e-mail as well)
Miller/Newport Intersection
Option A (Leave Existing) – 2
Option B (Left Turn Lane & Pedestrian Island) – 5
Option C (Roundabout) – 27
Miller Avenue Corridor
Option 1 (Continuous Left Turn Lane) – 2
Option 2 (Bump Outs) – 9
Option 3 (Occasional Left Turn Lanes & Pedestrian Islands – 23
Following are the different conceptual options presented at the public workshop. Also presented below is a table showing a comparison of the different concepts and the relative advantages and disadvantages of each. To download each of these items, click on the appropriate title below. Warning: Some of these files are very large!
Miller Avenue – Maple to Newport Concept Plan (PDF) – 46.8 MB
Miller Avenue – Maple to Newport Concept Plan (PDF) (smaller file)
Miller/Newport Intersection Concepts (PDF) – 20.2 MB
Comparison Table of Concepts (PDF) – 0.2 MB
Design Descriptions and Discussion Questions (PDF)- 0.35 MB
Summary of Comments from Public Workshop (PDF) – 0.46 MB
Design Phase
Following the planning phase outlined above, the project was placed on hold pending the resolution of funding issues.
Currently, the City plans to proceed with a design for Miller Avenue from Maple to Newport based on Conceptual Option #3 (above), and the design of a roundabout at the Miller/Newport intersection. Comments received at the Public Workshop will be used to guide the design process. Further communication with individual property owners will continue to occur throughout this process, and another public meeting may be held at some future date to present preliminary designs and gather comments.
The design phase for this project will continue through 2012, with construction currently planned for 2013. Until then, the City’s maintenance crews will continue to make minor repairs to the pavement and patch potholes as necessary.
Storm Water Management & Rain Gardens
It is expected that there will be funding available for this project to make storm water improvements on Miller Avenue. One of the options to handle storm water on Miller Avenue, improve water quality, and reduce dependence on the overburdened Allen’s Creek Drain, is to have rainwater gardens within the public right-of-way along Miller Avenue. Rain gardens allow some detention of storm water (so that not all of the water from a rain event enters the storm water system at the same time), as well as some infiltration of storm water into the ground. Rainwater gardens along Miller would slow, infiltrate, and treat a portion of the water runoff from the street.
Click Here to see a similar project in Blookington, Minnesota.
Click Here for the Miller Avenue Rainwater Gardens blog
Click Here to view some additional information about rain gardens.
Click Here to view further information about rain gardens and improving water quality in lakes and streams.
Click Here to view a video about the connection between the rainwater runoff and water quality in Washtenaw county. Rainwater gardens are one part of the improvements that can increase water quality in lakes and streams.
Funding
Funding for the project will be coming from various sources. Storm water improvements will receive funding though the State Revolving Fund (SRF). Funding for other utility improvements (sanitary sewer and water main replacement) will be funded by their respective City funds. Road construction work is currently scheduled to receive Federal funding from the Surface Transportation Program (STP), which pays for up to 80% of the construction cost of the project. The remaining cost of the project will be paid for by the Street Resurfacing Millage (pending renewal by voters in November 2011).
Special assessments may also occur for location-specific improvements such as filling gaps in the sidewalk and curb.
Questions or Concerns
Nicholas Hutchinson, Project Engineer
734-794-6410 ext. 43633
mailto:nhutchinson@a2gov.org
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