It was a good day for a walk on a new road on Sunday, and I got a chance to cross over US-23 on foot on the new bridge parallel to Geddes Road. There's still final landscaping work to do there, but you can now go from the northeast side of Ann Arbor down to the river without backtracking half way into town.

Here are some notes about other projects underway to improve the state of the world for people who are walking or riding their bicycles around Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor City Council is due to take up two issues related to pedestrian improvements tonight, including a novel approach to nighttime trick or treating safety by closing a portion of Granger Street near Burns Park after dark. That's not likely to be controversial, but the proposed pedestrian path along the north side of Washtenaw Avenue, also to be considered by council, has drawn opposition from homeowners along its route.

Pedestrian bridge over US-23 at Geddes

The new pedestrian bridge over US-23 parallel to Geddes Road is open, though perhaps not officially. I was out there on Sunday to make the trek over the new structure, which provides a safe passage from Dixboro Road to Earhart Road for the walkers, bicyclists and roller bladers I saw taking the trip. Motorists were slaloming around the roundabouts as though they had been there forever, and traffic was moving steadily. The city's official project page gives details of the work that has been done to date.

The biggest impact of this new route for bicyclists is likely going to be opening up a new north-south route along Earhart Road to cyclists heading toward Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti, which should greatly increase bicycle commuting opportunities for the northeast side of town. Before the bridge was put in, a bicyclist looking to go from Concordia College to Washtenaw Community College would have had to trek more than a mile back to the safe crossing of the Huron River at Gallup Park.

Links

The Border to Border Trail page on Wikipedia describes the main trail across the county. The new Geddes bridge is not directly part of the trail, and does not have signs yet connecting it to the trail, but you can easily reach the trail from its eastern end by going south on Dixboro Road down to the river.

Trick or treating in the streets on Granger

Ann Arbor City Council is taking up the issue tonight of closing off a part of Granger Avenue near Burns Park for trick or treating. The issue is going before council because block party permits to close the streets only go until dusk, and the neighborhood is seeking a permit to close the street between Olivia Avenue and Ferdon Road until the end of trick or treating time.

Granger is known around the neighborhood as the place to go for trick or treating, since residents pull out all the stops and children mob the sidewalks. It is to be hoped that the street closing will make the whole effort a bit safer for everyone.

Links

A new City of Ann Arbor lane closings map shows all approved lane closures, in one handy map on Google Maps to help you plan your detour route.

Jeff Meyers writes about trick or treating on Granger in 2009 for Concentrate. "I have the good fortune to live at ground zero for Halloween trick or treaters. Well, one of the many ground zeros that dot Ann Arbor and Ypsi. On Granger Avenue we see north of 600 costumed kids and much of the neighborhood gets in on the action. House decorations are the norm and my neighbor two houses down turns his lawn into a veritable pumpkin patch, with the inevitable 900 lb jack o' lantern gracing his doorstep."

Funding for a new pedestrian path along Washtenaw Avenue

Ann Arbor City Council is also considering a final special assessment for properties along Washtenaw, to be used to construct a non-motorized path along the north and northeast side of Washtenaw Avenue between Glenwood Road and Tuomy Road.

The total project cost is to be $1,580,000, according to the ordinance, and of that a sum of $59,233.75 is to be paid by the property owners along the path, to be spread out over 10 years.

The resolution notes that "at the public hearing for the Washtenaw Avenue Non-Motorized Path Special Assessment Project, conducted on September 7, 2010, five individuals spoke in opposition of the Project and two letters in opposition of the Project were received by the City Clerk."

Edward Vielmetti goes for a walk along new paths for AnnArbor.com. Contact him at edwardvielmetti@annarbor.com.