East Stadium Bridges

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The following project components are being considered in conjunction with one another to maximize efficiency, design coordination and cost effectiveness.

The purpose of this portion of the study is to develop preliminary design plans for:

On E. Stadium Boulevard, concurrent replacement of the two bridges (over S. State Street and over the Ann Arbor Railroad), reconstruction of the roadways (with the addition of sidewalks and bike lanes) and replacement of the 20” raw water main would minimize road closures, detours and motorist delay as compared to undertaking the work as several separate projects.

Funding, right-of-way (ROW) and construction easements for improvements have not yet been secured. This planning process is an important step in defining:

Ultimately, it may not be possible to fund the construction of all components of the E. Stadium Boulevard project at one time. Determining which components should get priority is an important objective of the initial phase of the planning process.

While the recently adopted City of Ann Arbor Non-motorized Transportation Plan calls for the construction of a shared bicycle/pedestrian path on the east side of S. Main Street, other strategies for improving pedestrian and bicycle connections and safety will be considered. Minimizing impacts on adjacent properties– and the need for additional ROW and construction easements -- will be important considerations.

Click here to see an aerial photo of the project area and possible improvements.

Stadium Boulevard is a critical east-west arterial link through Ann Arbor and one of the most heavily traveled corridors in the city (with an average daily two-way traffic volume of approximately 30,000 vehicles east of S. Main Street). The portion of E. Stadium Boulevard within the study area borders The University of Michigan’s football stadium, Crisler Arena, and golf course, as well as the Ann Arbor Golf & Outing club. Ann Arbor’s Pioneer High School is located immediately to the west at E. Stadium and S. Main Street. The eastern end of the study area (east of State Street) borders the southwest corner of the “lower” Burns Park neighborhood and the commercial areas south of Stadium Boulevard. Today, there are no bicycle facilities on E. Stadium in the project area.1 In addition there is no sidewalk on the south side of the street.

S. Main Street and S. State Street are important north-south commuter routes linking I-94 (and nearby business areas and neighborhoods) to downtown Ann Arbor. In the project area, bike lanes have already been provided on S. State Street, but there is no sidewalk on the west side of the street. On S. Main Street, there are no bicycle facilities that meet current guidelines north of Ann Arbor-Saline Road. In addition, no sidewalk exists on the east side of the street.

Bridge over S. State Street. The bridge carrying E. Stadium over S. State Street has a Federal Sufficiency Rating (FSR) of 21.22 and does not meet current federal design criteria for horizontal clearances or clear roadway width. In addition, the loads the bridge can carry have been limited and the vertical clearance from S. State Street is deficient by one foot based on current Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) standards.

Several trucks have hit the bridge structure, some doing extensive damage. The bridge’s age, condition and inadequate vertical clearance make its replacement critical, especially given its location on such important east-west (E. Stadium) and north-south (S. State) roadways.

The process of planning and assembling funding for bridge replacement projects can take considerable time. While the bridge over S. State is not considered unsafe at this time, an accidental impact could force its closure. As a result, an emergency plan is being developed based on models of the short-term traffic impact of a sudden closure on E. Stadium and S. State, as well as a longer term detour system. Emergency planning will be coordinated with transit providers, fire and police, among others.

Bridge over the Ann Arbor Railroad(AARR). The vertical clearance provided by the bridge carrying E. Stadium over the Ann Arbor Railroad also is also deficient, given current standards, by one and one-half feet, although its condition rating (61.5 FSR) is adequate. Horizontal clearance between the track and the bridge’s east abutment is also deficient by 6 feet, based on MDOT standards. As a result, the replacement of this structure is also justified. Moreover, replacement of the AARR bridge could be planned to provide space for a parallel greenway as envisioned in the City’s Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan.3

By replacing both bridges at the same time, it will be possible to reduce overall construction costs (as compared to two separate projects), as well as the disruption caused by detours and time lost in driver delays.

Roadway Reconstruction. The asphalt pavement on E. Stadium – especially between S. Main and White Street – is in very poor condition. Roadway reconstruction can be undertaken most efficiently as part of the bridge replacement project(s). No modifications to the number of travel and turn lanes on E. Stadium are anticipated.4 The addition of bike lanes, and a sidewalk on the south side of E. Stadium, are proposed (see below).

To meet vertical clearance standards, it is anticipated that S. State Street’s elevation will be lowered and a portion of this roadway will be reconstructed in the immediate vicinity of the bridge, as well.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Improvements. A bridge replacement represents a capital investment that will be in place for over 50 years. As a result, it is important to include bicycle and pedestrian improvements in the bridge re-design. In addition, it is the City’s policy to include bike lanes as part of roadway reconstruction projects.5 It is also a standard City specification that sidewalks be provided on both sides of all public streets.6

Publications of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) provide standards and guidelines for bicycle and pedestrian facilities that have been included in the City of Ann Arbor’s Non-motorized Transportation Plan. On arterial streets (such as E. Stadium, S. State and S. Main), the minimum recommended dimension for an on-street bike lane with curb and gutter is 5 feet. The minimum recommended dimension for a curb-attached sidewalk is 8 feet; the preferred dimension is 10 feet.

Retaining walls will be required in several locations to allow these bicycle and pedestrian improvements while minimizing the need for additional right-of-way. In addition, it is the City’s intent to incorporate as many pedestrian and aesthetic amenities as funding will allow – for example, upgraded retaining wall materials, lighting and landscaping – as design proceeds. The City will also investigate the potential for storm water management improvements.

Raw Water Main. The project includes the replacement of a 20” raw water main that crosses the UM golf course and runs under E. Stadium Boulevard. The capacity of this water main needs to be increased. This can be accomplished most efficiently while E. Stadium Boulevard is being reconstructed, avoiding a possible failure of the water main during construction and/or the need to repair the roadway after it is repaved.

While other alternatives for providing bicycle access and accommodating pedestrian needs will be evaluated, Ann Arbor’s Non-motorized Transportation Plan calls for the construction of a “shared use” path on the east side of S. Main Street from E. Stadium Boulevard to the intersection of S. Main and Ann Arbor-Saline Road. The shared use path will accommodate both pedestrians and cyclists and is anticipated to include a 10-foot clear traveled way and a minimum 3-foot buffer from the curb to allow for signs, street lights and necessary horizontal clearances. Retaining walls are also anticipated along portions of S. Main Street to accommodate the path while minimizing the need for additional right-of-way.

This project is listed as an urgent priority in the City’s current Capital Improvements Plan not only because of the need to improve safety for the high volumes of pedestrian traffic generated by University of Michigan events, but also because S. Main is an important bicycle route linking Ann Arbor’s growing south side to and from downtown. The project will also be an important link to Pittsfield Township and Saline as the regional bike system is implemented.

It is anticipated that the exploration of conceptual alternatives and the definition of a preferred project approach will take approximately 4 months, once a Citizens Advisory Committee has been appointed by City Council. Preliminary design (design alternatives; preferred design approach and preliminary design) will take 8 additional months. The preparation of construction documents for roadway reconstruction will take approximately 12 months, while construction documents for bridge reconstruction will take up to 18 months. If various funding sources can be secured, it is hoped that roadway reconstruction could start in late 2011 and bridge replacement in 2012 and 2013.

Conceptual and preliminary design will be undertaken concurrent with the E. Stadium Boulevard Improvements. As noted below, the City has received a conditional commitment for Transportation Enhancement funding through MDOT for FY 2011. As a result, it is anticipated that construction would take place in 2012.

A preliminary engineering study of the replacement of two bridges, roadway reconstruction (including sidewalks and bike lanes) and the replacement of the raw water main on E. Stadium Boulevard was completed in October 2005. The cost of all improvements was estimated to be approximately $31,000,000.7

As noted above, funding for the project has not yet been secured. Due to the estimated cost of the project, MDOT has asked the City to secure “a fair amount of funding from other sources” before MDOT will commit its funds. MDOT also asked the City to consider replacing only the bridge structure over S. State Street at this time.8

A variety of funding sources will need to be secured and coordinated. It is hoped that MDOT will provide funding support, including Local Bridge Program funds. It is anticipated that several City sources will be utilized including storm water, water supply and street millage funds. In addition, partnerships with The University of Michigan and Ann Arbor Golf & Outing will be explored and some special assessments9 are anticipated.

A preliminary cost estimate has also been prepared for the construction of a shared use pathway on the east side of S. Main Street (from E. Stadium to Ann Arbor-Saline Road). The estimated cost is $1,540,000. The City has received a conditional commitment for Transportation Enhancement funding through MDOT for FY 2011, totaling approximately $565,000. Additional funding may be provided through the City’s Alternative Transportation Fund, special assessment(s) and the participation of The University of Michigan. ROW acquisition and construction easements must also be negotiated with Ann Arbor Golf & Outing and others.

1 Bike lanes have already been added on W. Stadium north of Pauline and are proposed in the reconstruction of W. Stadium south of Pauline.

2 Federal Sufficiency Ratings (FSR) are calculated based on bi-annual MDOT bridge safety inspections and determine eligibility for MDOT Local Bride Program funding. Bridges with an FSR of 80 to 100 are eligible for preventive maintenance, between 50 and 80 are eligible for rehabilitation and less than 50 for replacement funding.

3 City of Ann Arbor Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan 2006-2011, January 2006, p. H8.

4 A possible reduction in the length of the existing right turn lane on the north side of E. Stadium Boulevard will be considered.

5 Council Resolutions R-176-5-03 and R-217-5-04.

6 City of Ann Arbor, Public Services Department, Standard Specifications, Division 2, Section 8B, Sidewalks and Access Walks.

7 This preliminary estimate is based on 2006 dollars.

8 November 21, 2006 letter to the City of Ann Arbor from MDOT’s Local Bridge Advisory Board.

9 Special assessments, generally collected over a number of years, can be levied on property owners receiving a benefit from a public improvement. Special assessments are typically used to fund sidewalk and utility construction.