AATA Board approves selection of transit master plan consultant

February 14, 2001 The Ann Arbor, Mich., Transportation Authority (AATA) board of directors took another step forward this evening in the process of exploring the possibility of countywide public transit. The board voted 6-1 to approve conducting contract negotiations with planning consultant Steer Davies Gleave (SDG) to develop a transit master plan for Washtenaw County.

"Washtenaw County is facing
a number of challenges that require a long-term transit planning solution. Urban
sprawl, job attraction and retention and environmental sustainability are all
greatly impacted by our transit choices," said AATA Board Chair Paul Ajegba. "With
the help of SDG, we will create a transit master plan that will allow us to
prepare for our future needs rather than facing challenges only as they come to
us."

Projected changes in
population density, demographics and job growth patterns over the next 20 years
include an increase in the senior population of almost 450 percent in Washtenaw
County townships and an increase in total population of 38 percent.

"Our projected population
changes and job growth patterns mean increased traffic congestion and travel
times, fewer parking spaces and more frustration for commuters if we don’t
start planning now," said AATA CEO Michael Ford.  "And our aging baby
boomer population will need viable transportation options to ensure they can
have access to the services they need on a daily basis."

It is expected that SDG
will first begin the development of a transit master plan by working with AATA
staff to create a community dialogue about public transportation in Washtenaw
County

"It’s very important that
all Washtenaw communities provide input so that a common vision for public
transit can be established," said Ford. "If the community doesn’t first decide
where it wants to go and how their public transit systems should look in the
future, it’s very hard for us to create a plan that tells them how to get
there."

Information gathered from
public discussions will then be combined with demographic data and transit
modeling statistics to create a transit master plan that will guide the
development of a long-term plan for public transportation as well as provide
short-range (three-to-five-year) implementation plans.

AATA staff interviewed
three planning firms before selecting SDG as its transit master plan
consultant. During the selection process, Ford commented that SDG’s response to
integrating transportation into the lives of the community was a refreshing
take on transit solutions for the region

"Their creative response to
Washtenaw County’s current transit situation was fresh and compelling," said
Ford. "SDG’s experience and technical knowledge, combined with their enthusiasm
and commitment to producing a plan that can be easily understood by the entire
community made them the perfect choice."

SDG is an independent
transportation planning consultant with more than 30 years experience in master
planning, sustainable transportation solutions, and transportation modeling
with offices around the world, including New York, Boston, London and Sao Paulo.

AATA will use federal
formula funds, dedicated to planning purposes, to fund the development of the
transit master plan, which is estimated to cost up to $400,000.