Ann Arbor in process of determining how to allocate the one-time $24.1 million
Share your input
The City of Ann Arbor is in the process of determining how to allocate the one-time $24.1 million that the city is receiving in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. We would like the community to weigh in on preferences for potential projects to receive funding, including park improvements. Please visit the website to learn more about the funds, the projects that are being considered and to share your opinion through an online survey that is available until Feb. 14. Ann Arbor City Council will take community input into consideration to make the final decision about what projects receive ARPA funds.
Potential projects
City Clerk Election Center Solar on City Facilities Housing for Homeless Households Property Acquisition for Affordable Housing Vision Zero Implementation Miller-Catherine Bike Facility Galvanized Water Service Line Replacement Community and Law Enforcement Public Safety Data Platform Fire Station 4 (Huron Parkway) – First Net Zero Fire Station in Michigan Coordinated Funding Support Universal Basic Income Gallup Park Bridge Replacement/Road & Trail Renovation Unarmed Response Program
City Clerk Election Center
Estimated cost: $2,000,000
This project will create a new election center that would provide the needed space for staff to prepare for elections and conduct high-speed tabulation of ballots, which is necessary due to the higher number of absentee ballots.
Solar on City Facilities
Estimated cost: $8,500,000
This project would install over 4 Megawatts of solar on 19 city facilities, saving the City operating costs, enhancing resilience, and reducing climate pollution. Sites identified include nearly every park with a major facility, the water treatment plant, City Hall, the water recovery facility, the airport, and the public works building. The installations would also be designed to eventually accommodate energy storage, which would enable these facilities to operate even during power outages. This is especially important for critical facilities, such as the water treatment plant and public works.
Housing for Homeless Households
Estimated cost: $1,000,000 for initial acquisition and rehabilitation
This project will provide new housing for homeless households and will leverage funds from other sources to access rental subsides and supportive services. For this project, the Ann Arbor Housing Commission will partner with Avalon Housing to provide permanent supportive housing. This will not be transitional housing.
Property Acquisition for Affordable Housing
$3,500,000 to $50 million depending on the size of the project
This project would acquire property to build affordable housing. This project would involve identifying a suitable property, conducting due diligence on that property, and acquiring the property. Renovation would been done, as needed, or if the land is vacant, the project would require developing a site plan and going through a site plan approval process, followed by construction.
Vision Zero Implementation
Estimated cost: $9,500,000
This project proposes to fund a significant number of projects identified in the City’s newly adopted “Moving Together Towards Vision Zero” Transportation Master Plan. This includes projects that reduce speed, enhance system design, and provide education. Specifically, this would help complete the Eisenhower park path, fill missing Border-to-Border trail linkages along and under Fuller Road, install a citywide bike network sign program, conduct and implement a citywide speed study, reconfigure lanes on S. Main, Packard, Earhart, and Green Roads, install protected bike lanes, install bike boulevards along Washington and Elmwood Streets, install green bike lanes, expand bike parking, add ADA accessible pedestrian push buttons, upgrade traffic signals, install streetlights, and upgrade crosswalks.
Miller-Catherine Bike Facility
Estimated cost: $4,000,000
The Miller-Catherine bike facility would be a high-comfort/low stress bicycle facility along Miller Avenue and Catherine Street from west City limits to the University of Michigan. As part of this project, traffic calming measures would also be included to address safety concerns regarding speeding vehicles and pedestrian crossings.
Galvanized Water Service Line Replacement
Estimated cost: $14,000,000
This project would replace up to 3,000 galvanized water service lines in the city that were once connected to lead pipes. The State of Michigan requires the replacement of all publicly and privately-owned water service lines that are, or used to be, connected to lead pipes. Lead can accumulate in galvanized pipes and release when the pipe is disturbed, creating the potential for lead in drinking water.
Community and Law Enforcement Public Safety Data Platform
Estimated cost: $1,244,745
This project will help provide the data collection needed to determine police biases and support training and education for officers that focuses on critical decision making that honors the sanctity of human life. The Ann Arbor Police Department’s dedication to achieving a meaningful and systematic change
to policing in the city requires the correct tooling to measure progress, impacts, and outcomes.
Fire Station 4 (Huron Parkway) – First Net Zero Fire Station in Michigan
Estimated cost: $6,000,000 (estimated build cost expected in 2022)
This project would build the city’s first carbon-neutral facility, a net-zero fire station at the current Fire Station 4 location. This facility will produce energy through geothermal heating and cooling, solar panels, and an architectural design that encourages energy efficiency. The facility will also be gender-neutral to accommodate fire fighters of all genders.
Coordinated Funding Support
Estimated cost: $5,400,000 annually
This project would provide support to families living at or below the poverty line as this pandemic continues, providing basic safety net services to residents, with a focus on addressing poverty, racism and trauma in our community.
Universal Basic Income
Estimated cost: $2,300,000
This project would establish a universal basic income pilot program, which would provide direct aid to a group of families for three years, with review from social scientists to document the impact this aid has had, not just on the families, but on the whole community. This program may set the foundation for a for a larger, longer program that could benefit all families in Ann Arbor.
Gallup Park Bridge Replacement and Road and Trail Renovation
Estimated Cost: $2,300,000 (bridge only) to $6,800,000 (entire project including bridge, road, and trail renovations)
The existing Gallup Park pedestrian and vehicle bridge will be replaced with a new design (PDF) that significantly expands the paths for bicycles and pedestrians while maintaining the single vehicle lane. Additionally, the Border-to-Border Trail portion of the project would be widened to accommodate its heavy use and advisory bike lanes for commuter cyclists would be added to the park road to provide separation from recreational trail users. The park road would also be modified to shift parking off-street.
Unarmed Response Program
Estimated Cost: $2,000,000
An unarmed response program would divert armed officers from responding to non-criminal and non-violent calls to medical professionals, social workers, or other human services professionals that are better suited to meet the situational needs.
