Ann Arbor’s Monroe Street Fair will remain on Monroe Street in conjunction with Hash Bash. This is after an agreement was reached with city officials which was approved unanimously by City Council.
The problem is that, for the second year in a row, Hash Bash, the Monroe Street Fair, and the University of Michigan’s spring football game are on the same day. This year, it’s on April 1st.
The police and fire departments told city council that multiple major events make it difficult to respond to emergencies. There was even talk of possibly moving the fair.
Fifth Ward city council member Jenn Cornell says the Monroe Street closure was allowed based on three conditions to improve safety.
“There will be bagging of additional multiple meters around the perimeter of the event, so there’s no on-street parking, which would give emergency vehicles more room to navigate streets. They will be contacting towing companies ahead of time to have units immediately available to tow any illegally parked vehicles.”
Fair organizers will also be paying for the staffing of one ambulance and two bike team unit. Both can respond to emergencies when needed.
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