North University Avenue closes to traffic for four months starting next week
Construction on North University Avenue will begin next Monday in Ann Arbor, closing a stretch of the street for four months.
The work is expected to last from May 3 to Aug. 23, according to Homayoon Pirooz, head of the city's project management services unit.
The work includes road reconstruction and utility improvements for the construction of the Central Campus Transit Center.
A temporary traffic control plan will be in place starting Monday. North University Avenue will be closed from Church Street to Fletcher Street.
Traffic will be routed around the construction site using two alternate routes —via Geddes Avenue, Washtenaw Avenue and Fletcher Street or via North University, State Street, South University Avenue and Church Street.
North University Avenue will be open to through traffic during the 2010 Ann Arbor Art Fairs.
For the duration of the construction, pedestrians will be directed through alternate routes through the University of Michigan Central Campus.
Detour signs will be posted, but city officials say motorists are advised to seek alternate routes. City officials also ask drivers to reduce speeds and steer cautiously through work zones.
- Click here to view a map of the detour route.
Ryan J. Stanton covers government for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529.
Comments
Spencer Thomas
Wed, Apr 28, 2010 : 4:13 p.m.
"North University Avenue will be open to through traffic during the 2010 Ann Arbor Art Fairs." All of North U? Or will just the section that is being closed for this project be reopened during Art Fair? The last few years, at least, the block of North U next to Ingalls Mall has been closed for the Street Art Fair, and the block between Thayer and State has "always" been closed for the State St fair. As for which street it is, Google Maps (for what *that's* worth) shows the junction of N. University and Geddes to be at the pedestrian crossing just west of the Exhibit Museums, as evidenced by this link to the "intersection" of the two streets: http://bit.ly/9UUWTx
Marvin Face
Tue, Apr 27, 2010 : 9:52 p.m.
Ok, so I don't have any idea why this means anything to me but I think we are both correct. N. University turns into Geddes at the bend. The diagonal street is Geddes. So they are closing a little bit of each.
pegret
Tue, Apr 27, 2010 : 12:48 p.m.
That's going to be a nightmare for cars (and especially busses) trying to turn left/south onto State from North U. As it is now, with all the careless pedestrians, only about 3 cars make it through on a light cycle.
GoBlue2009
Tue, Apr 27, 2010 : 11:35 a.m.
The lack of space in Ann Arbor is its biggest problem. There's already not enough room to park or drive anywhere, now they're limiting North U for four months? So basically, the whole summer.
Plubius
Tue, Apr 27, 2010 : 8:30 a.m.
The more interesting question is this: How can any project of such minuscule scope be performed so inefficiently/ineptly that it will take four months to complete? (This is about one half mile per year - at this rate, no major highway would yet be completed...)
Ryan J. Stanton
Tue, Apr 27, 2010 : 8:05 a.m.
The map shows the area closed.
Marvin Face
Mon, Apr 26, 2010 : 9:47 p.m.
I could be wrong but I think this stretch of road to be closed is technically Geddes, not North University.
Chris Blackstone
Mon, Apr 26, 2010 : 2:47 p.m.
It would be very helpful if images such as the one included in this article would embedded as JPGs instead of having to download a PDF