Title
Resolution to Improve the Safety and Accessibility of Sidewalks in the Winter
Body
Whereas, The 2015 Pedestrian Safety and Access Task Force report recommendations include 1) eliminating impassable snow piles left in crosswalks, sidewalk?ramps, crossing islands, and bus stops and 2) undertaking and assessing the financial, operational feasibility and level of community support of the City undertaking snow and ice removal on the City's public sidewalk?system;
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Whereas, In June 2020, City Council unanimously adopted the A2Zero Carbon Neutrality Plan which includes as a core strategy reducing vehicle miles traveled by at least 50% by 2030;
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Whereas, In February 2021, SnowBuddy released a report "Access for All: Maintaining Our?Sidewalk Transportation Corridors in Winter" which proposes options for the City of Ann Arbor to conduct winter?maintenance of city sidewalks?in a safe and professional manner in all neighborhoods;
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Whereas, In February 2021, the Transportation Commission endorsed the goal of municipal sidewalk?snow removal and views this goal as an urgent need for City spending and planning;
Whereas, In March 2021, City Council passed Resolution R-21-084 directing the City Administrator, among other activities, to:
* Review, assess the feasibility, and propose cost estimates and strategies for a municipal sidewalk?snow removal program;
* Realign City policies, procedures, and budgets to ensure the winter?maintenance of the municipal sidewalk?network (including crosswalks and curb ramps, access to transit stops/facilities, and routes through parks that improve our network), such that an accessible pedestrian route exists in a timely manner concurrent with the clearance of the streets;
* Review the City's snow removal policies and strategies and recommend adjustments to our operational model to address identified deficiencies that would make the pedestrian transportation network safe and consistently accessible to all users during the win...
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