Last updated: February 20, 2008
This website contains information regarding the design and reconstruction of West Stadium Boulevard. The goal is to provide general information regarding scope of work, public involvement opportunities, and schedule of events.
This is not the East Stadium Bridge Project.
PUBLIC WORKSHOP (JANUARY 2008)
The first public workshop was held Wednesday, January 9, 2008 at the Pioneer High School cafeteria from 6 pm to 8 pm. A summary of the Workshop is included below.
Executive Summary
On Wednesday, January 9, 2008, the City of Ann Arbor along with consultants Hubbell, Roth & Clark (engineering) and McKenna Associates (public input facilitation) conducted a public workshop to identify issues and potential design alternatives for the segment of West Stadium Boulevard between Pauline and South Seventh Street. 41 Ann Arbor residents and approximately ten city staff members participated in the two-hour workshop at Pioneer High School.
Project Location
Senior Project Manager Elizabeth Rolla, P.E. provided an overview of the project, which will include the section of West Stadium Boulevard between Pauline Boulevard and South Seventh Street. The roadway surface is degraded and needs to be replaced and the replacement of the road surface will provide the opportunity to replace and upgrade the municipal utilities (water, sanitary and storm sewer) that are underneath the road. The upgrades and improvements will tie into the previous work done on Stadium Boulevard north of Pauline.
Workshop Format
The first half hour was dedicated to a discussion of the existing conditions of the study area and the potential design alternatives. The engineering consultant team of HRC presented two primary alternatives for discussion: the four lane option with bike lanes and pedestrian refuge islands and a five lane option with a center turn lane, bike lanes and pedestrian refuge islands. Homayoon Pirooz, P.E., Unit Manager of the Project Management Unit indicated that while the team had spent time working on these two design alternatives, other alternatives – including narrowing the road to a three lane road – should be discussed.
The bulk of the workshop was devoted to small group discussions about the study area. Groups of eight to ten participants were asked to discuss each of the design alternatives as well as the three lane option. Each group discussed the existing conditions of the corridor with instructions to identify problem areas and opportunities. Small group facilitators also asked each group to identify locations for crossings, amenities including lighting alternatives, landscaping, and street trees. The workshop notes identify all of the issues and ideas that were generated by each of the small groups. The goal of the small group discussions was not to develop consensus around any one design alternative, but to identify the key issues for residents and property owners. For a summary of the group discussions, click here.
Issues
Many issues were discussed during the course of the evening. Much discussion focused on the possibility of widening the road – is it necessary - and the resulting impacts. Some people really wanted 5 lanes to accommodate turning movements. They expected that it would be easier to get into and out of their driveways with 5 lanes. Others felt that the road worked fine with 4 lanes and the impacts that would result from widening to 5, would not be worth the benefits. Widening would impact the residential character (no room for street trees) and would add additional impermeable surface.
The project team was also asked to evaluate the possibility of converting the road to 3 lanes. This would consist of two through lanes and one center left turn lane. The benefits of 3 lane roads are well documented and include protected turning movements and better pedestrian access opportunities.
Much discussion focused on how any reconstruction will affect Pioneer Woods and the property at the northwest corner of Seventh and W. Stadium (opposite Pioneer Woods). Though the engineers are not able to precisely identify the full impact of each scenario at this time, the general feeling of workshop participants was to avoid impacting the woods or the residential properties north of the road to accommodate a turn lane.
Workshop participants identified a number of traffic concerns – particularly those involving left turns during peak traffic volume hours. Pedestrian concerns were the most discussed issues, with most participants agreeing that additional pedestrian crossings and refuge islands are needed throughout the corridor. Pioneer High School, in particular, was an area that needs enhanced pedestrian crossings and safety improvements. The addition of bicycle lanes also created a significant amount of debate, with some participants doubting the need for on-road bicycle lanes. Bicycle advocates observed that on-road bike lanes are safer for riders and that if West Stadium had dedicated bike lanes, more cyclists would ride this stretch of road. There was also considerable discussion and debate about reducing the road to three lanes (one lane in each direction with a center turn lane).
Project coordination
A major consideration for workshop participants is how this project will coordinate with the East Stadium Bridges project and University of Michigan football stadium renovations. City staff discussed the different timelines for these projects and outlined that the portion of West Stadium between South Seventh Street and Main Street would respond to the design decisions made for the Main and Stadium intersections. While the Main Street to Seventh Street portion of West Stadium is not a part of this project, the workshop discussed traffic and pedestrian issues on this stretch of road to ensure that the West Stadium design reflects the considerable impact of Pioneer High School, the University and Main Street traffic.
Preliminary Guidance
Participants were not asked to select a single design alternative. Instead, they were asked to identify the key issues for the project area, the character the roadway should reflect, the aesthetic appearance of the corridor, and the pedestrian enhancements that are needed. The following list is a consolidation of the major issues and ideas discussed:
- Maintain the integrity of Pioneer Woods
- Improve safety for motorized and non-motorized traffic
- Create additional pedestrian crossing areas – particularly around Pioneer High School and at AATA bus stops
- Manage stormwater to minimize impact to Allen Creek
- Slow traffic
- Replant street trees to enhance residential character of this stretch of road
Next Steps
The HRC engineering team will use the input from this workshop, along with guidance from Project Management Unit staff to develop a preferred design alternative. This alternative will be presented to another public workshop in Late March or early April 2008 for more detailed discussion of potential impacts to properties along Stadium Boulevard. In the meantime, residents and property owners may continue to provide input to city staff to help guide the design for West Stadium Boulevard.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
West Stadium Boulevard from Pauline Boulevard to South Seventh Street is in deteriorating condition. In addition to the necessary roadway improvements and upgrades (water and sanitary sewer), there are infrastructure upgrades and pedestrian and bicycle improvements that will be most efficiently undertaken in conjunction with the roadway reconstruction.
The current plan is to reconstruct the West Stadium/Pauline intersection (approximately 500' south of Pauline) in the Fall of 2008. The next phase of construction, from 500' south of Pauline to 500' east of Seventh, will take place in 2009. The majority of the section from Seventh to Main will be constructed under a future project. However, the City is soliciting public input regarding the Seventh to Main section so that any improvements to the Seventh to Main St section will be incorporated into our 2009 project.
This project is an extension of the reconstruction of West Stadium from Maple to Pauline that was completed in 2006. That project added bicycle lanes, enhanced pedestrian crossings and aesthetic improvements throughout the corridor. During the reconstruction, utilities were replaced and upgraded throughout the study area.
PROJECT/STUDY AREA
Stadium Boulevard is a critical east-west arterial link through Ann Arbor and one of the most heavily traveled corridors in the city (with an average daily two-way traffic volume of nearly 20,000 vehicles). Ann Arbor Pioneer High School is within the project area and there is a need to improve the safety of pedestrian crossings throughout the area.
This project does not include any improvements on East Stadium Boulevard or on South Main Street. For more information on the East Stadium Bridges project, please visit
http://www.eaststadiumbridges.com/overview.aspx
PROPOSED PROJECT STEPS
- Preliminary Stakeholder Involvement
- Preliminary Design
- Stakeholder Involvement
- Final Design
- Construction
PRELIMINARY STAKEHOLDER INVOVLEMENT
The purpose of this portion of the project is to collect/receive input from the numerous stakeholders which include, but are not limited to, the Allen Creek Watershed Group, Washtenaw County Drain Commission, A2 Pioneer High School, the University of Michigan, neighborhood associations, and the bicycling community.
This planning process is an important step in defining:
- Construction costs and ROW/easement needs
- Issues critical to stakeholders in order to provide the best future corridor possible
PRELIMINARY PROJECT SCOPE
- The reconstruction of roadway pavement on West Stadium from Pauline Boulevard to just past the Seventh St Intersection. The majority of the section from Seventh to Main St will be reconstructed under a future project.
- Roadway alignment improvements and potential addition of a center turn lane where needed.
- The addition of new pedestrian and bicycle improvements as part of roadway reconstruction to address existing safety issues and implement the City’s Non-motorized Transportation Plan (adopted January 2007) recommendations.
- The replacement and upgrading of infrastructure including the water main, storm sewer, sanitary sewer lines and a raw water main within the project area.
- Stormwater treatment
- Develop a plan to maintain traffic during construction and provide any detour options.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Funding for this project is being provided by the city’s Street Reconstruction Millage with matching funds provided by the Federal Highway Administration administered through MDOT.
The need for additional right-of-way (ROW) and construction easements for improvements have not yet been determined and the design process has just begun with the topographic survey and public involvement.
ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE
At this time the following schedule is anticipated. This schedule will be updated as the design process progresses.
1. Award of Design to Consultant: November 2007
2. First Public Involvement Meeting: January 2008
3. Preliminary Plans Completed: Spring 2008
4. Public Involvement Meeting #2: Spring 2008
5. Plans Completed: Summer 2008
6. Construction Begins: Fall 2008
Please be sure to visit this website often. It will be updated regularly as the project progresses.
CONTACT INFORMATION
To receive regular email updates on the project, please email Elizabeth Rolla.
Elizabeth Rolla, P.E., Senior Project Manager
erolla@a2gov.org or 734-994-6155