US-23 Public Meeting on 10/21!

MDOT is hosting a Public Open House for the US-23 project next Monday, October 21, in the WCC Morris Lawrence building (same location as last time). We encourage everyone to attend this meeting, review the information presented, and express support for MDOT’s “Safely Connecting Communities” alternative.

The meeting will cover several important aspects of the project; we’ll highlight a couple of them of them below.

Resisting Freeway Expansion

To review: back in May, MDOT announced that they were dropping all 3 expansion proposals from the project study, and instead pursuing a new alternative that would focus on improving multi-modal connectivity across and throughout the corridor without adding lanes to US-23.

While we were thrilled with this news, our reaction was - of course - not universal. Some stakeholders have been criticizing MDOT’s reframing of this project, and lobbying for them to put freeway-widening options back on the table.

In fact, it’s looking like some minor widening will still be done. MDOT has proposed adding “auxiliary lanes” between I-94 and Washtenaw, essentially to create a continuous connection between the ramps of those two interchanges. (MDOT just completed a similar project just to the south, between I-94 and US-12.)

These lanes are being positioned as a “safety” improvement, and MDOT also points out that on the northbound side, the gap between the planned ramps would otherwise only be about 200 feet. Given these points, we do not intend to actively oppose these auxiliary lanes; however, let’s be clear - while much more minor and targeted than MDOT’s previous proposals, this is still a capacity expansion, and will bring all the negative outcomes that any capacity expansion would generate. MDOT must hear, loudly and clearly, that our communities will not tolerate any further freeway expansion in this project.

The B2B Trail

This meeting will also cover detour and closure plans for the B2B trail during construction. Now, to be clear: significant impacts are unavoidable. The US-23 bridges over the Huron River do need to be rebuilt, and the B2B trail is right up against the bridges’ support piers.

MDOT has (rightly) determined that no existing roads or paths will offer an adequate detour for B2B trail users, and so they plan to build a temporary causeway in the river. However, full closures of the trail will need still take place, intermittently, for three years.

It is possible that this temporary causeway is truly the best option available to MDOT. However, we would ask that they consider one other option that’s not included on their list of rejected ideas: constructing a permanent biking/walking trail along the south side of Geddes Rd between Huron Parkway / Gallup Park and Earhart.

While this would certainly be difficult and expensive, it’s a project that’s currently identified as a non-motorized transportation priority in the City of Ann Arbor’s Capital Improvements Plan. If that project could be accelerated by e.g. a cost-sharing agreement between MDOT and the city, that would be a huge win for all involved.

Other Topics

The meeting will also cover a number of other important aspects of the US-23 project, including preferred design(s) for the US-23 / Washtenaw interchange and some proposed sound walls. We encourage everybody to scrutinize these details and provide feedback to the project team.

We hope to see you there on the 21st!