With video: Ann Arbor DDA redoing work at corner of Liberty and Division

Crews from Eastlund Concrete Construction of Holt were at work on the northwest corner of Liberty and Division in downtown Ann Arbor today, ripping up an entire corner where work was done earlier this summer.

The crews are scheduled to redo the sidewalks and a bump-out that was installed at the corner in recent months, Downtown Development Authority officials said.

Adrian Iraola, one of the DDA's project managers from Park Avenue Consultants, said the plan always included redoing the bump-out and sidewalks, which were temporarily put in place over the summer.

Iraola said the city didn't let the DDA finish its work earlier this summer because - with work also occurring on the south side of the street - the city didn't want to close two sides at the same time.

Iraola said the temporary bump-out and sidewalks - poured after crews completed underground infrastructure work in the area - also were not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The work is being done as part of the DDA's Fifth and Division project, which is related to the underground parking structure being built on South Fifth Avenue. The parking structure project is budgeted at $50 million, while related improvements on Fifth and Division are expected to cost about $6 million.

According to the DDA's Web site, the new bump-outs are intended to reduce the east-west crossing distance at the intersection and make pedestrian movements more comfortable and safer for seniors, children and others.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.