As the July Fourth holiday approaches, I’d like to get a little patriotic on you.

I think many people would agree that Freedom and Independence are strong American values.  Who doesn’t want to be able to do what they want, when they want?  Who doesn’t want to be able to voice their opinion, show their support for an important cause, or dance in the streets?

And isn’t Freedom and Independence about having Choices?  And the Freedom to choose between as many options as you can?

That’s what getDowntown is trying to do out here, people!

I think many of us would agree we would rather not be a slave to our cars.  Instead, we would all like to be able to come and go as we please, regardless of if our car breaks down, we can no longer afford gas, etc.

That’s where getDowntown and programs like ours come in.  Because isn’t it nice to know that should your car break down, you’re not completely stranded?  And for the most part, no one really is.

If you live close to work in Ann Arbor  (like I do) if you don’t have your car, you can still bus, bike and walk.  You can even call up a friend or neighbor and hitch a ride with them.

If you don’t live close to work (like many of you do), that’s no reason to be a slave to your car.  Many people who commute find people to carpool with.  And all it takes is going on a rideshare website or talking to some of your friends, co-workers and neighbors.

And then you’re all set.  You can get anywhere you need to go using all sorts of transportation.  Which seems pretty nice to me.

That’s why I can’t understand why people are so hesitant to at least know their options.  Knowing that you could perhaps take the bus to work if your car breaks down seem like a nice safety net to me.  But it’s not always easy to get people to think about it, or even care, until they have to.

But I’ll tell you this.  There are lots of people living in Ann Arbor that know the Freedom and Independence that comes with knowing your options.  They know how to use the bus system (if they have to do so).  They have a Zipcar account.  They have a bike, just in case.  And they know a couple of friends or co-workers they can call in case they need a ride.  They’ve moved from being auto-dependent to auto-independent.

When you are auto-independent, you don’t have to be a slave to your car.  You can come and go as you please, with or without your car, and save money and get exercise at the same time.  Doesn’t that sound nice?

And all it takes is just a little effort on your part.  Can you try a different way to get to work one time a month?  Can you think of a list of people you might be able to share rides with every now and then?  On the more challenging front, can you consider living closer to where you work?  I know this one is hard for many people right now, but maybe it’s something you could think about.

Finally, as many of us know, sometimes our Freedom and Independence can be taken away.  Even if we don’t take advantage of every freedom we have, no one really likes to think about one of them being taken away.  So even if you never use the bus, or get on a bike, why not support these options?  If not for you, than for those in the world who only have freedom if they have these options.  Do it for the elderly, for those with disabilities, for teens, and for those who can’t stand the thought of harming the environment without reason.

Maybe you feel like you are a slave to your car and that pisses you off.  Well know that there are organizations out there that can advocate for you (including this one).  Let them, and your elected officials know how you feel.

So this July Fourth as you enjoy the weekend, remember all of those things that make America (and this region) great.  And perhaps spend a moment or two to think about how transportation fits into that picture.

I wanted to update you on the Arborland issue in terms of what I have discovered.  I called the owners of Arborland (AmCap) in both Denver and in Connecticut. Connecticut is where the main corporate office is located.

I got through to someone from Connecticut who told me that the President of AmCap is out sick, but sent me to his voicemail.

The person I spoke with in Conn told me that both the Denver and Conn offices have been instructed to say “No Comment” when it comes to the Arborland issue and that they have indeed been getting a lot of calls and emails. The time is running out for us to try to address this issue. So I am asking you to try to make one last push.

Can you call the AmCap corporate office either today or tomorrow and ask to speak to the president? And if he is unavailable, simply leave a voicemail. Tell him what your concerns are and what the impact might be of moving the AATA bus stop. If you know of someone at your organization with even more clout, let them make the call.

Perhaps we might not be able to win this one, but I would hate to think we didn’t try! Call the AmCap Connecticut Headquarters at (203) 327-2001. Pass this along to whomever.

In case you haven’t heard, there are two different Ann Arbor Commuter Rail proposals in the works.  Both the WALLY (Washtenaw Livingston Line) and the Ann Arbor-Detroit Line are slated to begin in the fall of 2010.

The AATA is helping to coordinate the WALLY project and has been leading meetings of interested folks for a while.  The last meeting was held on June 22nd.

While it looks like the rail cars and other details are going smoothly, there is still the issue of funding for the WALLY.  MDOT did not receive Stimulus funds for the project, and is now trying for something called TIGER funds (info on TIGER funds in the comment section).

If you want to read more about WALLY and view the presentation from June 22nd click here.

For those of you who commute to work by foot or bike on Washington Street, things are about to get a little safer.  The City has decided to put a pedestrian refuge island at Seventh and Washington, which will make it easier to cross this sometimes busy street.  The work should be completed by September 2009.

I know that several citizens have spoken out about this so I want to make sure everyone knows that you can have an impact on this community by voicing your concerns to your City Council rep.

For more information on this pedestrian island, click here.

Another post from Patti S. who’s telling us about her Almost Carfree Summer . . .

Whenever I ride my bike, I feel like I should have a sign on my back that says: Caution: Slow Rider! Or maybe a little happy face that says, “Thanks for not running into me!”. Whatever, I am a slow bike rider. I have ridden fairly steadily for two years now and while my stamina has increased, my speed has not (that I can tell). I inherited asthma from some grandparents, so my lungs don’t work as well as normal people’s do. Thus, I can’t do anything outside on days that are too humid or too cold. I cannot run (tried it once, had an asthma attack, almost went to ER) and most sports are not possible for me.

While I have had success in the bike riding department, hills just about kill me. Particularly, I loathe the Eisenhower hill over I-94. It is less than a mile from my house and I must ride it if I wish to go to my credit union or State Street or other places in that direction. To my credit though, I was in first gear and had to stop twice the first time I rode it. Now, I can make it up the hill and usually in fourth or fifth gear. So we are making progress, that hill and I.

I always keep hills in mind when I plan my trips. I do what I can to avoid the worst ones and suffer through the rest. Despite my distaste for hills, I think I’ve been doing pretty well in my “almost car free summer”. Let’s recap. I’ve biked to the farmers’ market every Saturday, I carpooled with a friend on two downtown trips, rode my bike to Hillers to do some light grocery shopping, rode my bike to Krogers later on to finish up shopping and I have ridden my bike for almost every event except for a late night Top of the Park, a trip downtown with my husband (he looked less than thrilled when I mentioned biking or buses, so we drove), two canning trips, and last week’s trip to see the Ann Arbor Civic Band. (I had my dog with me for that last one, and all I need is to tie him to the bike and have him see a squirrel…you’d see an Ann Arbor Chronicle Stopped. Watched. item that said “woman stuck in tree, dog eating squirrel, guts everywhere”.

So, so far so good. As the days get hotter and muggier, I will have to keep my health in mind when I plan my trips. Thanks for reading…and see you on the roads!

Thought you might like to see how go!passes are doing right about now:

go!pass Program Participation

If you like Zipcars and are excited that they’re in downtown Ann Arbor, why not become a fan of Zipcar Ann Arbor on Facebook?  If you become a fan, you’ll be able to receive updates on what’s going on with Zipcars in Ann Arbor (including special promotions, if we’re going to be adding any new cars, etc.)

So if you’re on Facebook, search for Zipcar Ann Arbor or just click here.

This post is from guest blogger Al McWilliams.

Other than having just figured out that I was supposed to keep writing in this blog even after the commuter challenge started (sorry, I thought I was just the opening act), today I had a great idea!

I’m watching them put in the new fancy solar-powered parking meter stations around downtown and I thought, “Wow! This is so great, and renewable! However, it does seem a little complicated and expensive, not to mention having big, bored-teen-tempting solar panels… there might be a better way…”

Then, like in a dream, it came to me! What if there was a way to have parking meters that functioned mechanically!? You’d just pull up to them, drop in some sort of weighted currency, and turn a crank!! Get on in engineers! The future is now!

I don’t often get angry but I have to say that I am angry right now.  I am angry that the owner’s of Arborland have decided to push the AATA out of their shopping area after being nice enough to put a bus stop there.  I am angry on a number of different levels and I wish there was more that I and other citizens could do to address this problem before it happens.

This is not the first time that the AATA has been told to leave a shopping area.  The same thing happen with Maple Village last year after Plum Market moved in.  The AATA used to have a Park and Ride Lot there and now it is gone because (so I heard) the owners wanted to make sure there is ample parking for Plum Market and other potential tenants.

Both of these decisions I believe are counter to what Ann Arbor would like to do as a whole to become more pedestrian, transit, and bicycling friendly.

I wrote an email to the Arborland Owners expressing my concerns and I hope you do, too.

There is also some good discussion going on on Arbor Update about this issue that you might want to check out.

So here is my general argument about the bigger picture of why I am concerned about moving the AATA out of Arborland:

1. The move is counter to Ann Arbor’s interest in Transit Oriented Development (TOD). There are several initiatives underway, including the Ann Arbor Transportation Plan Update, the Washtenaw Avenue Project, and rezoning of Commerical and Employment centers in Ann Arbor that all are attempting to make it easier for people to get in and around Ann Arbor using all different types of transportation.  The decision by Arborland to move the AATA out of their shopping area doesn’t reflect the interests of many in Ann Arbor to create a place where we don’t always have to rely on our cars to get around.  This seems to be a point of tension (between City ideals and Business Interests) that will need to be resolved.

2. As our population ages, Ann Arbor will need to become more accommodating to transit, not less: Ann Arbor, like the rest of our country is getting older.  And as people get older, they will need to be able to get to places, such as shopping destinations and doctor’s appointments without a car.  For safety’s sake, we need to make sure people can get to major shopping destinations without a car.

3.  Younger people want access to lots of transportation choices: Yes, younger folks are still driving cars, but they are also more interested in taking the bus and walking or biking to their destination.  This is defintely true of UM students, who I am sure shop at Arborland and take the bus to do it.  Moving the stop out of Arborland is going to make this a lot less pleasant.

4. Can’t we just all get along? I guess at the end of the day I don’t understand why the folks at Arborland are less interested in figuring out another solution that will accomodate everyone.  This move is something I wish we could have more time to discuss and talk about.

5. An issue of access: I also beleive that people of all abilities and ages and incomes should have access to the same shopping options.  It concerns me that it will be much more dangerous for those with disabilities, those without cars, those who are elderly, etc. to get to Arborland.

The silver lining: I know that the AATA is working on creating a new bus stop across from Arborland that will serve much the same purpose.  I just wish there was more room for discussion.

What you can do: If you are concerned about this move and/or the potential issues I’ve discussed above, please contact Arborland, call the stores and Arborland and let them know how you feel.