Title
Resolution Directing the City Administrator to Negotiate the Transfer of All State-Owned Trunklines within the City of Ann Arbor to the City of Ann Arbor
Staff
Reviewed by: Nicholas Hutchinson, City Engineer
Tim Wilhelm, Deputy City Attorney
Body
Whereas, State trunklines -- North Main Street and the Washtenaw Avenue/Huron Street/Jackson Avenue corridor -- bisect the City of Ann Arbor and are owned, operated, and controlled by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT);
Whereas, MDOT's control over these roads has resulted in design and operations that prioritize motor vehicle throughput volume and minimizing travel times through these trunklines with limited consideration of other modes of transportation, access, and the safety and comfort of other users including pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users;
Whereas, MDOT's control of these roads has hindered the City's ability to make desired improvements to these corridors consistent with its adopted policies, such as Vision Zero, carbon neutrality, and reduced vehicle miles traveled, as evidenced by a long history of unsuccessful engagement with MDOT to make improvements to advance the City's for these corridors;
Whereas, Ann Arbor's 2021 Vision Zero-focused Transportation Plan lists MDOT-controlled roads as among the most dangerous in the City, with the top four "focus" intersections under MDOT control;
Whereas, The City of Ann Arbor and MDOT have differing goals for their respective transportation networks, which has led to different visions for how these trunklines should be designed and operated;
Whereas, Michigan Public Act 296 of 1969 provides that jurisdiction of a highway may be transferred from the state to a city jurisdictions and a "state of good repair" stipulation for jurisdictional transfers, which requires determining the current state of the roadways and estimating the cost of bringing the roads to a state of good repair for the next five years;
Whereas, I...
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