FYI:

ANN ARBOR Seeks FEEDBACK ON BIKE LANE ADDITIONS at A PUBLIC meeting May 7, 2009

Ann Arbor recently received federal stimulus funds to improve the city’s active transportation system for pedestrians and cyclists. The city is seeking input on plans to add approximately eight miles of new bike lanes – improving the 24 miles of existing bicycle lanes – and augmenting the safety of the downtown area for cyclists and pedestrians by adding appropriate signage and pavement markings.

Ann Arbor will combine federal stimulus funds with other resources to improve active transportation accessibility within the city.

A meeting to share these exciting improvements and provide an opportunity for public feedback will occur at an open meeting in City Council Chambers in City Hall at 7 p.m. on May 7.

The City of Ann Arbor is seeking public input for improvements along Ann Street, Catherine Street, Ashley Street, and First Street, where travel lanes will be narrowed and some on-street parking will be added to increase accessibility for cyclists. These improvements will also increase the safety of cyclists and are a part of the City of Ann Arbor’s larger efforts to encourage residents to actively bicycle and walk. At the meeting, the city will also present its plans to improve the 23.7 miles of existing bicycle lanes with striping, symbol pavement markings, and signage, and to add six miles of bike lanes along Hill Street, North University, East University, South University, Seventh Street, Hoover Avenue, and Pauline Blvd. These improvements follow the City of Ann Arbor’s 2007 Non-motorized Plan recommendations.

In the past year, the City of Ann Arbor has worked to promote bicycling, offering the public a new Web site (www.a2gov.org/bike) with timely information on cycling in Ann Arbor, including current events, resources for safe riding, and a frequently-asked-questions section. Coming in May, the City of Ann Arbor will be participating in the Commuter Challenge, and encouraging other downtown employers to do the same.

Bicycle lanes improve the safety for cyclists by providing a defined street area for bikes to travel safely alongside of vehicular traffic. Cyclists using the lanes should ride with the direction of traffic and follow all of the rules of the road, including stopping and signaling. The Non-motorized Plan is available for inspection at: www.a2gov.org/PublicServices/SystemsPlanning/Transportation/Non-MotorizedPlan_Jan2007.pdf. For more information on the planned improvements, contact Transportation Program Manager Eli Cooper (ecooper@a2gov.org)

If you would like to spend some time outside enjoying the Border to Border Trail, than this might be the opportunity for you.  This is from Anya Dale over at Washtenaw County:

Hey everyone- if you’re interested in helping out the Border to Border trail over the next couple weeks, and have a few hours to stand around outside and chat with people, here’s a great opportunity!

The County’s looking for a few people to help out with trail surveys- the data from these surveys will help to guide the County in choosing and scheduling improvements and maintenance, helping to close gaps in the trail system, and seeing if there’s any interest in expansion.

If you’re interested in helping out, contact Anya Dale at dalea@ewashtenaw.org! Sites include: Bandemer, Gallup Park, EMU Stadium (newly paved trail section), Ford Lake at the “overlook” highlighted on the map.  More information can be found here:

http://www.ewashtenaw.org/government/departments/planning_environment/planning/B2BVolunteers

Want to learn more about the Commuter Challenge?

Want to meet your competition?

Want to pick up free buttons, posters, and other goodies?

Want to talk to the AATA, MichiVan, Wheels in Motion and getDowntown?

Want some free food?

Then stop by the Commuter Challenge Open House tonight, April 23rd, from 5:30-7:30pm at the Michigan League in the Michigan Room.  This is a casual event so stop by anytime from 5:30-7:30pm.  Hope to see you there!

FYI from the AATA:

AATA board to negotiate CEO post with Ford

The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority Board of Directors will begin negotiations with Michael Ford on a contract to serve as AATA’s new CEO.

Following a third interview of Ford at its April 22 meeting, the board voted unanimously to offer the position to Ford, who has 25 years of experience in the transit industry.

Ford, is currently a principal with MG Ford Consulting, based in Camas, Washington which provides organizational development services to businesses. Prior to his current position, he served as chief operating officer and assistant general manager for the San Joaquin (California) Rapid Transit District.

He began his transit career as operations manager with Greyhound Lines in Spokane, Washington, where he eventually served as area general manager. He went on to TriMet in Portland, Oregon, serving as director of operations before being promoted to provide strategic counsel as executive advisor to the general manager.

Ford earned a bachelor of arts degree in sociology and philosophy at Pacific University in Oregon and a master’s degree from City University in Seattle, Washington. He has also served in leadership roles on the boards of various organizations.

Nacht said that the Board of Directors has approached the search through a very careful and deliberate process because it recognizes this task as the most important work that it will do for the organization.

The process began with the hiring of an executive search firm, CPS Human Resource Services, which screened more than 60 applicants and recommended 10 candidates for consideration by the AATA Board’s Executive Search Committee, headed by Paul Ajegba.

The search committee then decided to interview five of the screened applicants. The interview process began with Invitations to 15 stakeholders, most of whom participated in the confidential interview process, along with members of the AATA Board, staff and union.

The stakeholders included representatives of Washtenaw County government; the City of Ann Arbor, the City of Ypsilanti; Ypsilanti, Pittsfield and Superior townships; the Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority; the University of Michigan; Washtenaw Community College; Ann Arbor Public Schools; and the AATA Local Advisory Council.

The search committee narrowed the field to two finalist candidates, who participated in a second round of interviews conducted by the Board of Directors in public session. The board chose to conduct a third interview with Ford before making its final decision.