AATA announces plans to open new Plymouth Road park-and-ride lot
Commuters to Ann Arbor soon will have another option for accessing popular destinations around town.
The new Plymouth Road park-and-ride lot - located at the US-23 and Plymouth Road interchange in northeast Ann Arbor - will open on Jan. 25, officials from the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority announced today.
AATA officials say the lot is ideally located for commuters using the heavily traveled M-14 and US-23 corridor.
Commuters can enter the lot directly from Plymouth Road. In addition to 260 free paved parking spaces, the lot features passenger shelters, lighting, security cameras, a signalized entrance-exit, enhanced storm water detention, designated areas for passenger drop-off, and carpool/vanpool parking. Bike-and-bus commuters will find a covered parking area for 20 bicycles.
With the opening of the lot, AATA will implement transit service improvements in northeast Ann Arbor.
The lot represents AATA’s first independently constructed park-and-ride facility. The lot was developed in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Transportation, city of Ann Arbor and the Federal Highway Administration.
Construction of the lot is funded entirely through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The total estimated cost will be $1.56 million.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new park-and-ride lot will take place in May during the annual Commuter Challenge. The Commuter Challenge is a month-long competition during the month of May between Ann Arbor area organizations that encourages individuals to use sustainable transportation options to get to work.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.
Comments
Stephen Lange Ranzini
Sun, Apr 11, 2010 : 11:03 p.m.
It's a very nice facility, our new park and ride lot. However, I wonder why does the brand new sidewalk that runs East from the project abruptly end in the grass rather that connect to the existing sidewalk across the bridge over U.S. 23? For $1.56 million couldn't they have afforded the cost of ten feet of asphalt to connect the new sidewalk to the bridge? It seems to me for all the talk about encouraging people to bicycle or walk too little thought is given to making it safe for people to cross the interstate highways that ring Ann Arbor.