Earlier this week I took a trip on Route 9, the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority's Jackson Road bus. Here's an account of what I saw on my trip out to the west side of town.

12:13 p.m. Get on board. There are seven passengers on the bus; my destination is Westgate. I could have taken the 8 or the 12A to get here, so there's some variety. I'm looking for signs of spring in the air or on the ground. I note on the fare guide that fares are going up from $1.25 to $1.50 on May 1; I ride with a go!pass so this doesn't immediately affect me.

12:18 p.m.  Rolling. An 8th passenger gets on just as we leave.

12:19 p.m.  "Red permit" loading zone sign at Fourth Avenue and Washington Street. The loading zone permit process was controversial enough that the city didn't enforce it in February.

The Fourth and Washington parking structure had 55 spaces free. How does that compare with last year at this time? It's spring break for the University of Michigan, so you might expect the structures to all be less busy.

The stretch of Fourth between Washington and Huron streets is very bumpy.

12:20 p.m.  Delonis Center. Four passengers get off, four get on. Everyone getting on pays cash, no go!pass fares. A police car is parked in the parking lot.

12:22 p.m.  Westbound West Huron is very bumpy in the outside lane. We pass Seventh Street, and looking southbound you can see the Seventh and Washington pedestrian island, the home of a new webcam watching for the frequent car-sign crashes there.

12:23 p.m.  Mallek's Service, $2.639 per gallon of unleaded gas. One passenger gets off.

12:25 p.m.  Allen Drive, two passengers on. This is the location where a passerby found court documents from a federal weapons case, according to a Channel 7 news report.

12:26 p.m.  Vet's Park sledding hill is empty; it looks like a good day to sled. Watch for the jump. A passenger gets on across Maple, carrying a gallon of milk.

12:27 p.m.  Stop at Archwood Drive, one passenger on.

12:28 p.m.  Stop at Arbor Landings apartments, one passenger on. There's an old barn across the street with a "no trespassing" sign.

12:29 p.m.  At Wagner Road, we are now in Scio Township. Scio doesn't pay for AATA transit service, but there's a short segment of the 9 route that goes through the township to connect back up with the city at Jackson Road. One lucky township taxpayer boards.

Scio Township used to have AATA bus service; Route 210 was established in 1993 and terminated in 2003. The latest Scio Township citizens advisory committee report from 2006 details the costs and challenges of increasing township service. That report shows clear demand for Scio service from residents who live in apartment buildings, but not corresponding demand from homeowners.

12:30 p.m.  At Jackson and Wagner roads, Jim Bradley is running a "deer hit special."

12:31 p.m.  One passenger on, one off at the Jackson Road stop. There is a transfer here to the Washtenaw Wave western Washtenaw County bus; the schedule I was able to find dates from 2005. I am not sure which bus routes connect.

12:32 p.m.  I see construction behind the Clarion Hotel. A four-story Hampton Inn is under construction on the site; this 2008 story describes how the Super 8 on the site was torn down to make way for the new property.

12:35 p.m.  Arrive at Westgate for lunch. The trip took 23 minutes.

The midday 9 is notably busier than my ride on the 2C last week; on that trip I was the only passenger, but on the 9 the bus stopped every minute or two.

Edward Vielmetti rides the bus for AnnArbor.com. Contact him at edwardvielmetti@annarbor.com.