Downtown Ann Arbor's first curbless street now open to traffic
ANN ARBOR, MI — Downtown Ann Arbor’s first curbless street is now open to vehicle traffic.
As the first phase of a major State Street redesign and rebuild winds down, the Downtown Development Authority announced the street’s reopening Saturday, Oct. 8, after four months of construction.
Crews are still doing some remaining work along the roadway, but the busy street through one of downtown’s core commercial districts — historically brick and then for decades asphalt — is now paved in concrete and curbless from North University Avenue to William Street, the area by Nickels Arcade and the University of Michigan Diag.
After phase two of the project next year, the new curbless design will stretch three blocks from William to Washington Street, including the business area by the State Theatre.
One of the DDA’s goals with the project is to create flexible curbside spaces that can be used as an extension of the sidewalk for businesses that want more space to spill outside, including more outdoor dining space, or additional parking and loading. It also gives more flexibility to use the street for special events and improves accessibility, officials said.
Ann Arbor's new curbless-design State Street on Oct. 10, 2022, two days after opening to vehicle traffic.Ryan Stanton | The Ann Arbor News
The new design involves removing one of State Street’s two northbound travel lanes between William and Liberty streets and creating a wider sidewalk zone in front of bars, restaurants and shops along the west side of State, as well as a bumped-out corner plaza in front of Walgreens.
Different concrete treatments are being used to create texture effects in the roadway, with pavers in curbside amenity zones for contrast. With no curbs between the street and sidewalk (except for occasional tree planter beds that still serve as physical buffers), it means intersections are effectively raised to help slow vehicles and prioritize pedestrians.
Other safety improvements part of the project include pedestrian countdown timers at crosswalks and “all walk” signaling phases so pedestrians can cross without competing with vehicles turning. New bicycle lanes also are planned along both sides of North University Avenue from State to Thayer streets as a continuation of the William Street bikeway, with a shared-use path along part of the Diag planned as a connecting link.
Plans for a redesign of the State Street commercial corridor in downtown Ann Arbor as presented to the city's Transportation Commission by the Downtown Development Authority and SmithGroup in January 2022.SmithGroup
“We believe the design supports the unique identity of this section of State Street,” DDA Communications Manager Maura Thomson said earlier this year. “In addition, the city will be undertaking critical infrastructure upgrades including water main replacement, street resurfacing and stormwater improvements.”
As for whether the curbless design will be the future of downtown streets, Thomson said it isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach and the DDA evaluates streetscape projects on an individual basis, taking into account the context of the street, data, public input and city and DDA goals, values and priorities.
The DDA has cautioned there will be intermittent lane closures on State Street necessary for the contractor to complete remaining work items. And from next April through Labor Day 2023, State Street from North U to Washington will close for the second phase of full reconstruction with curbless design.
The city also will be doing water main work and street resurfacing extending an extra block north to Huron Street.
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