How do you find out about what streets are going to be closed for construction in Ann Arbor? That should be easy, and it usually is, if you know where to look.

But finding out the details of the detours associated with the closing of South Fifth Avenue for construction of the new parking structure on the old Library Lot is not so easy. It's a big project, and I thought I would be able to provide you with a map of what to expect. But I wasn't able to find it despite a batch of phone calls and a lot of digging on the City of Ann Arbor and Ann Arbor DDA websites.

How to find out about road construction plans

It is generally very easy to find information about road construction plans that require detours or traffic lane closures in the City of Ann Arbor.

The city maintains a web page of Ann Arbor event and road closures and detours. We write stories from this page all the time as neighborhood news, like this downtown road closing information from earlier this week.

If the work is more extensive, the City of Ann Arbor Project Management Unit provides project update information for ongoing work. Generally, the project manager from the project has a mailing list or other communications channel for news, and thus if you want to track ongoing work you can get regular updates.

In general, each construction event that results in road closings creates two documents. A text description of the work to be done with the duration of the project a contact for questions. A map, in the form of a "Temporary Traffic Control Plan", is circulated to police, fire, transportation, citizens and the media to let them know what to expect.

As an example, the Sylvan Avenue Permeable Pavement Project is scheduled to have a ribbon cutting event for that work on Aug. 20, 2010, at 10 a.m.

Upcoming major projects that are not under way also have information for planning.

Information lacking on South Fifth Avenue plan

I looked really hard at all of these places for the information about the upcoming road closure on South Fifth Avenue; you'd think, given the size of the project, that this information would be easy to find.

A Google search of the city's website for Fifth Avenue Closed and Fifth Avenue Closing did not return any information.

Lisa Wondrash, City of Ann Arbor Communications Unit Manager, provided this information to me by email after several telephone conversations to clarify the current status of events. "The city received street closure plans from the DDA yesterday (7/28) and staff are reviewing and will provide the DDA with comments by tomorrow (7/30). At this time, that is the most updated information that I have on this project." There is not an approved traffic control plan at this time.

This morning, Susan Pollay, executive director of the Ann Arbor DDA, said the plan has not been approved and publicized yet because the details regarding signs are still being worked out.

Pollay provided the written communication below to the City of Ann Arbor at the City Council meeting of July 19, 2010. The file number is 10-0702, and includes a link to the video of the session.

I am quoting here the entire information, as presented July 19. I am awaiting more up-to-date information from the DDA, as is the city. Note that the information below mentions Aug. 1 as the closure date, but the date has been moved to Aug. 4 because of the primary election.

The South Fifth Avenue Parking Structure Project includes the construction of parking spaces under the street. To enable this construction to move forward, the 300 block of South Fifth Avenue will be closed between Liberty and William Streets beginning August 1, 2010. A traffic detour route was developed over the past many months in cooperation with Public Services staff, and is based on traffic modeling and other work by Parsons Brinckerhoff Michigan Inc. The goal with this plan is to minimize the impact of this street closure to roadway and intersection operations, emergency vehicle routes, non-motorized transportation, access to downtown businesses and institutions, and downtown special events. This detour plan is as follows: Southbound emergency vehicles. During the time of the street closure South Fourth Avenue will serve as the alternate route for emergency vehicles heading south from the City center. To accommodate this use, several parking meters on the west side of South Fourth Avenue will be bagged to facilitate easier traffic movements. Truck traffic. Currently truck traffic is prohibited on S. Main Street between Huron and William. During the time of the street closure, truck traffic will temporarily be allowed southbound on these blocks. Trucks traveling northbound will still be prohibited from using this section of Main Street. Other through southbound vehicle traffic. A detour route with signs will encourage southbound car traffic to use S. First Street. In addition to meeting the needs of traffic traveling through downtown, the 300 block of S. Fifth is also vital to the operations of AATA, Ann Arbor District Library and Federal Building, as well as the citizens they serve. Accommodations for these agencies will be provided as follows: Ann Arbor District Library. A new ADA-compliant ramp has been constructed that serves patrons coming from William Street (the former ramp faced the parking lot now under construction). The sidewalk in front of the Library has been expanded to accommodate emergency vehicles, and additional lights will be added to the front of the building to improve visibility. The bike racks former located on the north of the building have been relocated to the front of the building. Ann Arbor Transportation Authority. The intersection of William Street at Fifth will be adjusted to include a new north-bound left-turn lane for AATA buses and authorized Federal Building vehicles only. AATA buses will be making a left turn onto S. Fifth from William and enter the Blake Transit Center coming the "wrong way" onto Fifth. To assist with this left turn onto Fifth from William the traffic signal will be adjusted to include a dedicated left-turn arrow. The sidewalk on the west side of the street between William and Liberty will remain open throughout the construction, however the sidewalk portion north of AATA will be pushed westward away from the street so it abuts the Federal Building. Federal Building. The 10-minute public parking spaces on the east side of the post office and the vehicular mail drop will be closed. A northbound one-way vehicle drive will be constructed on the west side of Fifth Avenue, running from William Street to Liberty Street that will include the area currently set aside for post office public parking and vehicular mail drop off. Only AATA and authorized Federal Building tenants (FBI, federal court judges and other judicial staff, etc.) will be allowed to use this northbound one-way vehicle drive. Christman will have flaggers stationed at the entrance to this northbound one-way drive to redirect any cars or trucks that are not authorized to use this drive. With the permission of AATA, the segment of the Blake Transit Center pedestrian shelter closest to Fifth Avenue and the adjacent wall will be removed during July to accommodate the height and width of the semi trucks that use the Federal Building's back loading dock to deliver mail for subsequent redistribution via the smaller mail trucks. Temporary public parking spaces will be installed on E. Liberty in front of the Post Office to accommodate post office patrons. It is anticipated that the 300 block of S. Fifth will be reopened to through traffic in mid to late 2011. In the meanwhile, nearby public parking will remain available for use at the 5th & William (Old YMCA) parking lot, the 4th & William parking structure, and at dozens of nearby on-street parking meter spaces.

Map

I don't have a map of proposed or approved changes to downtown traffic, and I don't have a map of the approved changes to downtown traffic.

Edward Vielmetti writes for AnnArbor.com. Contact him at 734-330-2465 or at edwardvielmetti@annarbor.com .