Countywide Transit Authority Board Gearing Up

Community representatives from across Washtenaw County are joining together to create a new body to help improve transit in and between communities in Washtenaw County.

The newly created Countywide Transit Board was scheduled to meet last week.

“This is an opportunity for all the communities of Washtenaw County to come together to examine and solve some of their common transportation issues.  There’s a strong push from the state to local governments to make this state, this county and individual cities more attractive for economic development and professionals,” said Ann Arbor Transport Authority Community Outreach Coordinator Sarah Pressprich.

The committee will meet to discuss the creation and expansion of transit in Washtenaw County, including:

• An hourly airport shuttle between Ann Arbor and Detroit Metro.
• An expansion of bike lines, stands and facilities in local communities countywide
• A countywide express service that would go between cities in the county.  Frequency of the service would depend on demand.
• A high capacity transit in core urban areas like street cars or trams.
• Local buses working in a loop all day in urban areas, including Saline.

This is not a complete list of planned improvements for u196.  For more information, look here.

The committee will consist of 15 representatives from around Washtenaw County. Pittsfield Township will be represented by Board of Trustees Supervisor Mandy Grewal.  Saline and Milan, and Lodi and York Townships, chose Bill Lavery to represent the region on the committee. The city of Ann Arbor will have the largest number of representatives with seven.

“This is a continuation of a dialogue that has been ongoing for a long time. It will determine what choices might be made available to our residents; not just in Pittsfield, but our region as a whole to connect us to one another and our residents to the various facilities that folks need to access on a regular basis,” said Grewal.