The Washtenaw Area Transportation Study now has a blog that allows you to provide your feedback on all things transportation related in Washtenaw County.  They would really like public feedback!  Please click on the links below to voice your thoughts:

• Transit Deficiencies: Click here to comment on any issues you have with Transit in Washtenaw County
• Safety Deficiencies: Click here to comment on any issues you have with transportation safety issues in Washtenaw County.
• Pavement Deficiencies: Click here to comment on any issues you have with pavement in Washtenaw County.
• Bridge Deficiencies: Click here to comment on any issues you have with bridges in Washtenaw County.
• Non-Motorized Deficiencies: Click here to comment on any issues you have with Non-Motorized transportation in Washtenaw County.

Has this ever happened to you:

• You are walking down a sidewalk and notice that someone hasn’t shoveled the snow.
• You are walking down a sidewalk and notice that there is a scary patch of ice in front of you.

Well guess, what.  It’s the LAW that people should have snow and ice removed from the sidewalk.

To report a sidewalk that needs to be shoveled free of snow within the City of Ann Arbor, call Community Standards at (734) 994-1788 (M-F, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.).

Here’s what the law is:

1. All snow and ice which has accumulated on the adjacent public sidewalk prior to 6am must be removed by noon.
2. Within 24 hours after the end of each accumulation of snow greater than 1 inch, the owner of every residentially zoned property must remove the accumulation from the adjacent public sidewalk and ramps leading to a crosswalk.

So if someone is not abiding by these laws, you can call Community Standards at (734) 994-1788.  When you call, the homeowner will receive a notice which gives them 24 hours to correct the situation.  If they don’t correct the situation during that time, Community Standards will plow the sidewalk and charge the homeowner.

There is a lot more info on this on the Snow Removal and Sidewalks page on the City’s website.

And I have been told that calling the Community Standards number is VERY effective at removing snow and ice from sidewalks.

FYI:

AATA CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR’S SERVICE HOURS ANNOUNCED

ANN ARBOR, MI — The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority will not operate regular fixed-route bus service, A-Ride, or senior shared-ride services on December 25, 2008 or January 1, 2009 in observance of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays.

On Christmas and New Year’s eves, December 24 and 31, service will end early, with the last trips of the evening from the Blake Transit Center beginning at 6:45 p.m.

Weekday service will be reduced, or not operate, on December 24 and 26, December 29-31, and January 2, as follows:

• Route 18 will only operate every half hour from 9:19 a.m. to 3:49 p.m. between the Miller Road Park & Ride Lot and the Blake Transit Center
• Route 36 service from Wolverine Tower will be reduced to service every 30 minutes at 15 and 45 minutes past the hour.
• LINK service from Oxford Housing will be reduced to every 30 minutes at 27 and 57 minutes past the hour, beginning at 6:57 a.m. and ending at 6:57 p.m. at Oxford.
• On Routes 4A and 4B, the only trips that will operate are those leaving the Blake Transit Center at 18 and 48 minutes past the hour and the Ypsilanti Transit Center on the hour and half hour.
• Service will not operate on Routes 4C or 4D trips. Routes 4A and 4B will pull into U-M Hospital, Arborland and the Medford/Manchester stop.
• There will be no service on Routes 1U or 2X.

Route 33 EMU Shuttle will not operate from December 17 through January 4. Route 33 will resume regular service on January 5.

The AATA main office will close at noon on Christmas Eve and reopen on December 26, as well as closing at noon on New Year’s Eve and reopening on January 2. The Blake and Ypsilanti Transit Centers will follow a similar schedule beginning at 7 p.m. on December 24 and 31.

Passengers may take advantage of AATA’s Holiday Ride shared-ride service on each holiday, or Night Ride shared-ride service, which begins early, at 7 p.m., on Christmas and New Year’s eves.

Either service costs just $5 a person.  Seniors and persons with disabilities with an AATA Senior or ADA identification card may ride for $2.50.

Holiday Ride and Night Ride services operate only within the city limits of Ann Arbor. To schedule a Holiday Ride or Night Ride trip, call 734.528.5432.

Complete bus route and schedule information is available at www.TheRide.org and 734.996.0400.