• Subscribe
  • Magazine
  • 40 Under 40
  • Supplier's Directory
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
    1. Management

    Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority will use grant funding to support transit improvements project

    Oct. 30, 2024
    The Fourth Avenue Street and Transit Improvements project will work to enhance the safety and experience of transit passengers and operations, support affordable housing and improve people-focused infrastructure in Ann Arbor, Mich.
    Related To: Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (TheRide) (AAATA)
    Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority
    Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority's Fourth Avenue Street and Transit Improvements project will work to enhance the safety and experience of transit passengers and operations, support affordable housing and improve people-focused infrastructure.
    Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority's Fourth Avenue Street and Transit Improvements project will work to enhance the safety and experience of transit passengers and operations, support affordable housing and improve people-focused infrastructure.

    The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (TheRide) has been awarded a $200,000 grant to help support its Fourth Avenue Street and Transit Improvements project. TheRide is partnering with the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority (Ann Arbor DDA), city of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Ann Arbor Housing Commission on this initiative. The grant is part of the Shared Streets and Spaces program to improve infrastructure. TheRide notes the Ann Arbor DDA was also awarded an additional $200,000 grant through the program, bringing $400,000 total towards the project. 

    “TheRide thanks Governor [Gretchen] Whitmer for recognizing this critically important project as part of the Shared Streets and Spaces program,” said TheRide Senior Project Manager Gretchen Johnson. “TheRide, along with the DDA and Housing Commission, are thrilled for this funding support that will help provide much needed street improvements and equity to the area.” 

    The Fourth Avenue Street and Transit Improvements project is part of the DDA’s People-Friendly Streets initiative that began in 2018. The goals of this multi-agency collaborative initiative are to enhance the safety and experience of transit passengers and operations, support affordable housing and improve people-focused infrastructure in Ann Arbor. The project encourages transit use and supports affordable housing at 350 S. Fifth Avenue, a proposed redevelopment project on an adjacent city parking lot. The project plans to reconstruct Fourth Avenue to improve its usability and accessibility. 

    While this award will not entirely cover project costs, the funding can be leveraged for enhancements such as adding bus lanes, widening sidewalks, improving bus shelter areas and completing various utility, roadway and streetscape improvements. Construction is anticipated to begin in 2026. The project is a part of the Michigan Department of Transportation Environmental Justice Priority Area and is recognized as a U.S. Department of Transportation Area of Persistent Poverty, underscoring its critical role in addressing equality and accessibility in the community. 

    "The additional funding from the SSSG Program [Shared Streets and Spaces Grant Program] will help us achieve our goals of improving safety and comfort for transit users, which contributes to a downtown environment that is inclusive and welcoming to all," said Ann Arbor DDA Planning Specialist and DDA Project Manager Shelby Fergon.