2026 Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millages

Two Transportation Millages on the Nov. 3 Ballot

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, Ann Arbor voters will have the opportunity to renew two transportation millages:

  • Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Repair and Replacement Millage
  • Construction of New Sidewalks Millage
Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Repair and Replacement Millage

Ann Arbor voters have supported a street millage since 1984. The millage is a key source of funding for maintaining and improving the city's transportation infrastructure, including:

  • 200 miles of residential streets
  • 100 miles of major roads
  • 442 miles of sidewalks
  • 13 bridges
  • 79 miles of bike lanes
  • 281 major street crosswalks

Since 2022, revenue from the Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Repair and Replacement Millage has helped the city:

  • Resurface or reconstruct an average of 18 miles of streets each year
  • Replace 6.25 miles of sidewalk
  • Repair 18,400 sidewalk slabs
  • Add or improve bike lanes and shared use paths
Construction of New Sidewalks Millage

The Construction of New Sidewalks Millage provides dedicated funding to build sidewalks where they do not currently exist, helping fill gaps in Ann Arbor's sidewalk network.

From 2021 through 2025, the city used revenue from the millage to construct approximately 6.8 miles of new sidewalks, with an additional 1.85 miles anticipated in 2026.

Millage revenue has also been used to leverage grants and other outside funding, allowing the city to complete additional sidewalk improvements with the available local funding.

The question, as it will appear on the November ballot:

ANN ARBOR CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT

TAX FOR STREET, BRIDGE, AND SIDEWALK REPAIR

AND REPLACEMENT

Shall the Charter be amended to authorize a new tax up to 2.125 mills for street and bridge repair and for sidewalk repair and construction for 2027 through 2032 to replace the previously authorized tax up to 2.125 mills for street and bridge repair and for sidewalk repair and construction for 2022 through 2026, which will raise in the first year of levy the estimated revenue of $19,236,316? In accordance with State law, a portion of the millage may be subject to capture by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

Yes                    No

 

 

ANN ARBOR CITY CHARTER AMENDMENT

TAX FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NEW SIDEWALKS

Shall the Charter be amended to authorize a tax up to 0.20 mills for the construction of new sidewalks for 2027 through 2032, to replace the previously authorized tax up to 0.20 mills for the construction of new sidewalks for 2021 through 2026, which will raise in the first year of levy the estimated revenue of $1,809,900?  In accordance with State law, a portion of the millage may be subject to capture by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

Yes                  No

Commonly asked questions

Ann Arbor's Street, Bridge Sidewalk Millage, augmented with matching funds from federal and state grants, have been the principal funding source for resurfacing and reconstructing Ann Arbor's neighborhood and "major" streets and bridges as well as repairing and replacing segments of sidewalks.

Because of the frequent changes in temperature, roads in Southeast Michigan experience severe freeze/thaw cycles which greatly impact their life span. Many of our roads need a new asp​halt surface after 15 to 20 years and need complete reconstruction after 30 years. From 2022-2026, the total millage proceeds are approximately $72 million. During the same time, the millage helped the city obtain $13.4 million in state and federal money. ​

The Construction of New Sidewalks millages help the city fund the filling of 136 miles of “gaps" in the city sidewalk system as define by locations in the public right-of-way adjacent to a street that do not currently have sidewalks. An online dash​board is available with information on sidewalk gaps. The magenta lines on the dashboard show all the places where there are currently no sidewalks.

The proposed Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Repair and Replacement millage is up to 2.125 mills and would be levied from 2027 through 2032. It would replace the existing 2.125 mill levy authorized for 2022 through 2026.

If approved, the millage is estimated to raise $19,236,316 in its first year to fund street and bridge repair and sidewalk repair and construction.

In accordance with State law, a portion of the millage revenue may be captured by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

The proposed Construction of New Sidewalks millage is up to 0.20 mills and would be levied from 2027 through 2032. It would replace the existing 0.20 mill levy authorized for 2021 through 2026.

If approved, the millage is estimated to raise $1,809,900 in its first year to fund the construction of new sidewalks.

In accordance with State law, a portion of the millage revenue may be captured by the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority and the Washtenaw County Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

If approved, the Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Repair and Replacement Millage would provide up to 2.125 mills from 2027 through 2032 to maintain and improve the City's existing transportation infrastructure.

Millage funds may be used to:

  • Resurface or reconstruct existing City streets and bridges, including on street bicycle lanes and other nonmotorized transportation facilities.
  • Construct, reconstruct, or improve pedestrian crosswalks.
  • Construct or reconstruct accessible street crossings and corner ramps.
  • Perform preventive maintenance that helps extend the useful life of existing paved streets and bridges.
  • Repair or replace eligible sidewalks within the public right of way.
  • Provide the City's local funding share for federally funded transportation projects, helping the City secure federal and state transportation grants.
How can the millage be used for sidewalks?

The millage primarily provides funding to repair and replace existing sidewalks. Outside the Downtown Development District (DDD), eligible sidewalk repairs are generally those adjacent to properties where the city levies property taxes. Within the DDD, the millage may be used for eligible sidewalks adjacent to single and two family homes where the city levies property taxes.

The City and Downtown Development Authority (DDA) may also enter into agreements that allow the city to perform sidewalk repairs within the DDD using funding provided by the DDA, as has occurred during the 2022 through 2026 millage period.

If the separate Construction of New Sidewalks Millage is not approved by voters, the Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage could also be used for eligible new sidewalk construction that would not otherwise be funded through a special assessment.

During the current millage period, property owners outside the DDD have not been responsible for repairing sidewalks adjacent to their properties. City Code would need to be amended to continue this provision for the duration of the 2027 through 2032 millage.

Funds used for street and bridge work will be tracked and accounted for separately from funds used for sidewalk repairs.

If approved, the Construction of New Sidewalks Millage would provide up to 0.20 mills to support the construction of new sidewalks from 2027 through 2032.

Millage funds may be used to:

  • Design and construct new sidewalks in locations where sidewalks do not currently exist, including administrative and other costs necessary to complete the projects.
  • Provide the city's local funding share for transportation projects that include new sidewalks. This can help the city secure federal and state transportation grants and other outside funding for new sidewalk construction.
  • Construct eligible new sidewalks adjacent to properties outside the Downtown Development District (DDD) where the City levies property taxes. Within the DDD, funds may be used for eligible sidewalks adjacent to single and two family homes where the city levies property taxes. City owned and railroad parcels are also eligible.

The millage would not change the responsibility of developers to construct sidewalks at their own expense when required as part of the development or redevelopment of a property.

Millage funds may only be used for eligible projects approved beginning in 2027 and during the life of the millage.

Michigan receives federal transportation funds that are allocated among local communities for major street projects. A prerequisite to receive funding is the local community must supply local funds to match any federal funding received. Typically, the construction contract costs on any qualified project are split approximately 20 percent local share and 80 percent federal share. All expenses for a design of a project are paid by local agencies. Without a local supply of matching funds, a community is not eligible to receive this type of federal aid.  ​

Principles of the City's Pavement Asset Management Plan guide the selection process for street reconstruction and resurfacing. Limiting factors include available funding and the need for other infrastructure/utility improvements. For more detailed information, and video describing how it’s done, please visit our street selection website.

Reconstructing a city street is often more complex than reconstructing a highway. City street projects may include replacing underground utilities, such as sanitary and storm sewers, water mains and service lines, drainage systems, and electrical conduit. These utilities often need to be installed in separate trenches while crews work around existing utilities and connections to homes and businesses.

Construction also needs to be carefully phased to maintain access to side streets, homes, and businesses as much as possible. Utility work, curbs, sidewalks, driveway approaches, and the street itself may need to be completed at different stages.

Working hours can also be more limited in neighborhoods because of noise restrictions and the operating hours of material suppliers. In addition, urban construction sites often have limited space to store materials such as sand and stone. Crews therefore rely on frequent deliveries and removal of materials throughout the workday.

Together, these factors make city street reconstruction more complex and can result in a longer construction schedule than a typical highway project.

Since 2011, voters have approved an additional 1/8 mill for purposes of performing sidewalk repairs. Prior to this (and the associated changes to City Code), property owners were responsible for making repairs to sidewalks adjacent to their property. Feedback indicated a strong preference to have the city be responsible for performing sidewalk repairs. Since 2016, this has been presented to voters as one ballot proposal for the Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage, which encompasses the city's "Complete Streets" philosophy to accommodate people of all and abilities travel needs.

To the extent the new millage is used for the repair of individual sidewalks slabs, it will be used only for sidewalks adjacent to properties outside the Downtown Development District ("DDD") against which the city levies property taxes and adjacent to single- and two-family houses within the DDD against which the city levies property taxes.​

The two millages serve different purposes for sidewalks:

  • Street, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage: Funds the repair and replacement of existing sidewalks, along with street and bridge work. It supports maintaining the sidewalk network the City already has.
  • Construction of New Sidewalk Millage: Funds the construction of new sidewalks where sidewalks do not currently exist. It supports expanding the sidewalk network by filling gaps and adding new sidewalk connections.

A simple way to think about the difference is: the first millage maintains and replaces existing sidewalks; the second millage adds sidewalks in locations where they do not currently exist.