Over 60,000 cars a day use U-S 23 between M-14 and I-96. It's frequently the site of accidents and slow morning and evening commutes. The Michigan Department of Transportation hopes the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority can help ease congestion.
MDOT is offering the transit authority land for a park and ride lot, possibly at either the six mile or eight mile road interchange. To help reduce the number of cars driving along the most congested stretch of highway, buses would take passengers from this lot into and out of Ann Arbor. It's included in the AAATA's long-term planning, but the authority doesn't currently have a funding source to operate the service.
Board Chair Charles Griffith says they're in the early stages of considering the proposal and would need to find a partner to make it work. He says if M-DOT's final plan to ease congestion includes adding a lane of traffic this bus service should be considered. "Looking at ways to incentivise folks who are carpooling or transit services along that roadway, rather than just sort of making room for more cars," Griffith says.
MDOT is currently considering using the median shoulder for traffic during peak traffic times and the proposed WALLY commuter rail as other pieces of the plan to reduce congestion.
AAATA CEO Michael Ford is expected to give an update on the U-S 23 corridor proposals at Monday's AAATA board meeting.
Like 89.1 WEMU on Facebook and follow us on Twitter— Andrew Cluley is the Ann Arbor beat reporter, and anchor for 89.1 WEMU News. Contact him at 734.487.3363 or email him acluley@emich.edu.
