Road closures to shift at State and Ellsworth roundabout construction site
The construction site of a new roundabout at State Street and Ellsworth Road in Pittsfield Township, as seen Tuesday from Ellsworth Road looking east. This portion of Ellsworth Road has been closed since early June for construction.
Kyle Feldscher | AnnArbor.com
For the past two months, Ellsworth Road has been completely closed to all traffic on the western part of the intersection at State.
Beginning Thursday, Ellsworth Road west of State Street will open to traffic and Ellsworth Road east of State will close.
A detour route will be posted along Research Park Drive.
Ellsworth Road as seen Tuesday looking west from the intersection at State Street in Pittsfield Township. This portion of the road has been closed since early June for construction of a roundabout at State and Ellsworth.
Kyle Feldscher | AnnArbor.com
Both directions of traffic on State Street will be maintained throughout this change in closures, though they will be continued to be reduced from two lanes to one lane in each direction.
The $2.4 million project coordinated by the Washtenaw County Road Commission is entering its third phase.
Construction of the roundabout was initiated by Pittsfield Township in anticipation of increased traffic that would come to the area with the June 2012 opening of the Costco store at 771 Airport Blvd.
The Road Commission is advising drivers to avoid the area if possible, as delays are likely. Businesses near the intersection are still open throughout the project.
The roundabout is slated for completion at the end of September.
Two federal grants are funding the majority of construction. Costco is contributing half a million dollars to the project, and the city of Ann Arbor and the Road Commission will cover the remainder of the project.
Pittsfield Township and the city of Ann Arbor are splitting a $42,000 portion of the project that involves concrete stamping work on a part of the roundabout to make it more visually appealing.
View State and Ellsworth roundabout construction, phase 3 in a larger map
Amy Biolchini covers Washtenaw County, health and environmental issues for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at (734) 623-2552, amybiolchini@annarbor.com or on Twitter.
Comments
heisenberg
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 12:23 a.m.
It's been a nightmare.
sandy schopbach
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 9:08 p.m.
This is just STUPID! First of all, there is TOO much traffic to build a traffic circle there. They never work well with four lanes of traffic. Decades in Europe, where they are rife has taught me this. But that's another matter. More importantly, who is the rocket scientist who decided to start with Ellsworth WEST of State Street first? Now East Ellsworth will be closed, with all traffic rerouted along Research Park Drive right past AN ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL (AALC). Classes K-8 start Sept 3, and thousands of cars will be routed daily right past it, where there are no stop signs, no traffic lights. Brilliant! It will be a miracle if no children are hit during the 2-3 weeks the work will take, if it ends on schedule. Wouldn't it have been much smarter to do THIS part first, while classes were out? The school has been there since 1998. That's 15 years. It's on the map. Was there NO ONE who noticed? No one who thought of the problems it will cause? Geeze Louise! How much are the people paid who make these decisions that overlook such flagrant issues?
Ann English
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:30 p.m.
For motorists approaching Research Park Driver from the north, KMS Place is available. I mean, if a business on Research Park Drive IS your destination, you can turn left onto KMS Place from southbound State Street, drive through the UM Sleep Disorders Clinic parking lot, and take KMS Place to Research Park Drive, going past Ervin Industries, which is on Research Park Drive. You won't go past the school in the short process. Or if you want to go north on State Street from Ellsworth, you can take Research Park Drive counterclockwise to reach Ervin Industries and turn right to get on KMS Place, which ISN'T marked at that end, and drive through the Sleep Disorders Clinic parking lot to reach State Street. Of course, with no traffic light there, you may have to wait for a lot of northbound traffic to clear before you can turn right on State Street.
sandy schopbach
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 9:09 p.m.
P.S. In general, I'm very pro-roundabouts, including the ones on Geddes. But traffic has to be no more than a certain flow.
FredMax
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 12:48 p.m.
The current detour for eastbound Ellsworth is a left at Airport road. Thus, all eastbound traffic is turning left at that intersection. However, apparently they didnt even bother to change the timing of this light, it still favors traffic patterns that are unlikely or impossible.
The Picker
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 6:55 a.m.
Do traffic planners ever actually drive these configurations they create? It seems the south bound lane of S. State, before the Costco turn could have remained open and relieved all that backup that has plagued this project from the beginning. Half the cars are turning for Costco anyway. It just doesn't make sense !
mr54
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 2:23 a.m.
Roundabouts have been around for years and I think they are great. The majority of drivers have enough common sense when navigating thru them! But there are some drivers who are too damn stupid when they enter the roundabouts.
JRW
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 1:40 a.m.
Too many roundabouts. This one will be a debacle. Wait until those huge semi trucks try to negotiate these miniature circles they keep building. We will go a different way to Costco to avoid State and Ellsworth.
Ann English
Sat, Aug 10, 2013 : 1:09 a.m.
Use Lohr Road to get to Ellsworth, then. Or approach Costco from the north.
Ann English
Sat, Aug 10, 2013 : 1:07 a.m.
a2migrl, Where, in an ordinary four-way intersection, do you "pull over" for any emergency vehicle?
a2migrl
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 1:30 p.m.
I have a question, exactly where in a round-about do you 'pull over' for a fire truck?
nasu
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 1:35 a.m.
For those of us who work on Research Park Drive - it has not been a fun commute. People who have to take the detours block the road, cut in line, and make illegal turns to get around the line of cars coming across from Airport Blvd to Research Park to go North on State St. If there is a stop sign or a yield sign - it means you have to watch out for the people driving along Research Park drive. Insanity.
FredMax
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 12:55 p.m.
I actually saw a woman drive down 15 feet of sidewalk in order to turn around before state street, i.e. from westbound to eastbound Research park. The one redeeming factor is that there seems a continual police presence is at the intersection; every time i pass through (at least a couple times a day) I see a violator receiving a ticket.
dfossil
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 11:11 p.m.
We have seen this before. We have a bunch of MDOT engineers who think they know better then anyone else how to do things and are "hot" for roundabouts. They will make a mess of things and in 15 years we will be paying to tear these out, straighten and widen as we drivers and residents have been saying all along. This will waste millions in tax dollars, but, Hey! They are using OUR money, not their own so they don't care anyway!
John Q
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 12:07 a.m.
Yawn. The same complaints that came with every other roundabout in the state. Not one has been ripped out yet.
Life is good in Ann Arbor
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 11:04 p.m.
Roundabouts are a wonderful way to save time during low traffic times and even if it is an especially busy time it is not as bad as a light. Usually the slow downs are because people don't know how to drive through them - they stop when they should keep moving or aggressive drivers decide that the yield sign is not for them. I love them and have been through all of them around town at all different times. Just learn how to drive through them and be glad they're not the 3-5 lane ones I've seen in parts of Europe.
Catherine Bosma
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 8:35 p.m.
I work out this way and, I'll tell ya, the back ups aren't as bad as I thought they were going to be. And they seem to be making good progress. I'll be excited for this to finish as this will be my first roundabout! If it keeps the traffic moving instead of sitting and idling like I do know (and before the construction), I'll consider it a success
Ann English
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 : 10:54 p.m.
I've begun wondering if people who have never used roundabouts should practice in roundabouts that have traffic coming from three directions only. All three on Maple Road, at and south of Skyline High, are this kind of roundabout.
Ann English
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 10:15 p.m.
When you reach this roundabout, yield the right of way to traffic already in the roundabout; it's only to your left. Once you're in the roundabout, the traffic to your right should yield the right of way, whether you go straight, turn left, or even do a U-turn in it. But this roundabout does have traffic coming from more directions than any of the roundabouts on Maple Road at and south of Skyline High. Hopefully, traffic through this roundabout won't be any faster than that at Superior and Geddes, US-23 and Geddes, Huron Parkway and Nixon, or Kensington and Jacoby up in Milford. All these intersections already have roundabouts.
Amy Biolchini
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 8:25 p.m.
Pittsfield Township wants to add two additional roundabouts to that State Road corridor -- one at Morgan and one at Textile. The township has created a corridor improvement authority that has the ability to implement a tax increment financing plan to fund the improvements. A map of plans is in this story: http://annarbor.com/news/pittsfield-seeks-tax-capturing-authority-to-fund-state-road-improvements-new-roundabouts/
a2migrl
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 1:25 p.m.
According to the Twp the tax would be for new businesses only. So if you want to build a business on State Rd in the Twp they take a portion of the taxes that you would pay and put it into a fund for the project. If they do not get enough for the project then the taxes set aside would be put back into the buckets it was to go to inthe first place. This is a long term project, 20 years or something. They are also looking at getting Federal Grants to help with the costs of the 'improvements'. The round-abouts at Textile and Morgan/Avis make more sense than at State and Ellsworth.
JRW
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 1:42 a.m.
Higher taxes for more road debacles. Just FIX the crumbling roads!
Basic Bob
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 12:17 a.m.
You missed the one at Old State Road.
Ann English
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 10:27 p.m.
A roundabout at Morgan and State Roads would facilitate going from Morgan Road straight across State Road to Avis Drive.
A2comments
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 8:19 p.m.
Poll needs some work. "affected my commute"? Why just the commute? Today for example we went to that area to meet someone for a short business meeting, then we went to Costco, then to Meijer on Carpenter on our way home. No commute involved, but coming south on State I hit a backup to go east on Ellsworth. Coming back to go to Costco I had to turn east into the office park to do a Michigan left to come into Costco. Leaving Costco I had to go across State into the office park and out onto Ellsworth, making a left. Very inconvenient. But I wasn't commuting, so the poll isn't for me?
Rob MI
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 8:35 p.m.
I don't commute in the area and I answered the question anyway as someone that's had to go to the airport six times since the closure.
Jenksy
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 7:55 p.m.
Once this is done I beieve we will see an improvement to flow of traffic... far too many back ups at this intersection. As long as folks don't treat it like turn 4 at Martinsville we will all get along just fine! Say it with me.. Groosfraba
Timber
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 7:39 p.m.
Round-Abouts have their place in our roadways. But the corner of State Street & Ellsworth is NOT the type of intersection that will benefit with the change to a round-about. (with or without the addition of Costco and other new developments to that area) Even when construction is finished - this intersection will be a nightmare. Widening of/additional traffic lanes @ this intersection with appropriate study of traffic flow & *changes to the traffic light pattern* would have saved a lot of $$ and made much more sense.
choi
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 4:38 a.m.
Agree! Just wait and see how this round-abouts can handle the traffic and for how long.
a2cents
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 8:20 p.m.
More lanes just means more lanes for drivers to cut across when making late turns. No thanks.
Crono
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 8:11 p.m.
I think you will end up seeing that your statement will be incorrect once this is complete. Almost ALWAYS before a roundabout is constructed, there is public angst for it. However, after its construction, public support nearly ALWAYS is very positive since roundabouts greatly improve the traffic flow and significantly reduce the number and severity of crashes.
sesomai
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 7:32 p.m.
Hey, good for Costco kicking in some money. Not often you see a huge company like that pay their share.
Basic Bob
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 12:12 a.m.
Walmart widened Michigan Avenue and State Road BEFORE they opened the store. And they even paid for that silly right-only exit so shoppers can't accidentally go past Harvest Elementary. Anticipation is making me wait.
Dave
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 7:23 p.m.
I'm sure they will have people still making boneheaded turns because they can't read signage with this next phase.
a2migrl
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 1:03 p.m.
Also, leaving the McDonald's driveway open was a bad move.
Arieswoman
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 7:22 p.m.
It has not been fun trying to get into and out of the senior center! Often equipment has blocked the driveway. I did have some men guide me over the curbs the other day. One senior had a truck back into her car.
motorcycleminer
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 7:17 p.m.
The whole thing is a joke.....
Sara White
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 7:16 p.m.
They should have done this project BEFORE Costco opened and traffic increased in the area. Now you are having those crazy Costco bound drivers detoured all over and backing up traffic even worse.
Plubius
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 1:52 p.m.
Sigh. If you had been following this thread, you would have learned that there has been no traffic increase. In fact, traffic is down significantly from a decade ago. This project is yet again another boondoggle - one which transfers money from our pockets into the pockets of the construction company cronies of the road commission.
a2migrl
Wed, Aug 7, 2013 : 1:02 p.m.
@Jensky, the school year starts before the road re-opens. There is a charter school on Research Park Dr. I just hope that the (impatient) drivers having to detour thru are respectable about the fact there is a school and it will be in session before the constructoin has finished. I have the (dis)pleasure of working on Research Park Dr and the traffic/speeding is already an issue. There are many that walk throughout the day and current traffic levels have made this a challange.
Jenksy
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 7:47 p.m.
The increased traffic during the school year was a bigger concern.
Suitsme
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 7:12 p.m.
So before this latest news, heading west on Ellsworth I could go to Tim Horton's and get a drink and go north on State. Now will I have to go to Research Drive and not be able to access that corner? I guess I will have to wait and see or go to Stone School and avoid the whole mess.