In case you hadn’t heard about this, I thought I’d pass along the follow note from Amanda Edmonds…
The AATA is undertaking a series of 20 public meetings to help with the creation of a Transit Master Plan for Washtenaw County. The project began in July, 2010 and will culminate in the creation of a Transit Master Plan in early 2011.
Currently, the AATA is holding outreach meetings across Washtenaw County to present options and scenarios developed from their first round of community input and assessment. These meetings are designed as drop-in sessions– you can stop by at any point to see informational displays, ask questions, and provide ideas. There will be a short presentation during the middle hour of the event.
The informational displays will focus on the Vision for Washtenaw County and the unmet transportation needs of its residents and workers and how this long term vision can serve these unmet needs.
I am promoting this event on behalf of the Ypsilanti Health Coalition, who recognizes that access to transportation of all kinds relate to access to health care, access to jobs, et al. We hope you’ll consider attending to share your voice.
The upcoming meetings in the Ypsi area are:
Wednesday, October 13, 6-8 pm, Ypsi Library– 5577 Whittaker Road
Monday, October 18, 3-5 pm, SPARK East– 215 W. Michigan Ave
Wednesday, October 27, 11 am- 1 pm, EMU Room 310B, 900 Oakwood StreetYou can learn more about the process and other upcoming outreach meetings here.
And, speaking of mass transit visioning initiatives, the State of Michigan is just beginning to develop a State Rail Plan that will cover both passenger and freight rail. If you’d like more information, you can check out Michigan by Rail dot org. Or, better yet, you can participate in the official Ypsi/Arbor forum, which will be held on December 9, from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, at Washtenaw Community College’s Morris Lawrence Building (4800 East Huron River Dr, Ann Arbor MI 48105-4800). If you’re so inclined, you can also leave public comments on MDOT’s new website.
…And, while we’re on the subject of personal mobility and the like, I’d like to ask all of you in Ypsi consider voting in favor of the 0.9789 mil tax increase in support of public transit come November 2nd. I know it’s difficult to support a new tax, no matter how small, when our economy is in the state that it’s in, but, if we’re ever going to turn things around, it’s absolutely essential that robust public transit options exist.
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No offense, but shouldn’t we have done all of this in 2000? I can’t believe it’s taken us ten years to get to the point of thinking about our vision relative to regional mass transit.
I’ve said it here before, but if the poor want trains and buses, let them build them. My money is MINE!
From MDOT: