Ann Arbor Fall 2007 Traffic Congestion Info

[wolverine]

For anyone who may be in the Ann Arbor area in the next week, here is some info from the University of Michigan Housing office sent to all students via email:

Welcome to your 2007-2008 academic year at the University of Michigan! Soon thousands of students will be moving onto campus, almost all within Move-In Week at the end of August. We want the process to run as smoothly as possible for everyone in the community -- whether you're part of the group moving in or not. Please read below to learn about the measures we've taken to ensure a successful Move-In for all. Have a wonderful year!

The University of Michigan and City of Ann Arbor Move-In Task Force, preparing for another large freshman class, has set the main Fall Move-In days of Tuesday, August 28 through Friday, August 31, for new and returning students.

Working in conjunction with the City of Ann Arbor, University Housing has established Move-In plans that will ease traffic congestion on and around campus, and will help to ensure as little traffic delay as possible for the University and the Ann Arbor community at large. Each student has been assigned a specific day to move in, in order to distribute the number of arrivals per day more evenly and to allow us to control traffic in specific areas more efficiently.

The 2007 Fall Move-In dates are as follows:

August 24 -- International students

August 28 -- Alice Lloyd Hall (certain programs), Baits II Houses, Markley Hall (certain houses) and Fall Orientation students

August 29 & 30 -- Remaining halls (first-year and transfer students)

August 31 -- All halls (returning students)

September 4 -- Classes begin

Parents and students are directed not to arrive on campus before 9 am or to drive on or around campus between 4 pm and 6 pm. This will minimize Move-In traffic during rush hours, when most University staff and other community employees arrive at and depart from work. University faculty and staff are encouraged to avoid driving in residence hall areas when possible. However, those who cannot find alternate routes will find officers from University Housing Security, the Department of Public Safety and the Ann Arbor Police Department stationed at entry points near main intersections, where they'll assist in keeping traffic moving and directing students to unloading spaces by each hall.

CAMPUS MOVE-IN MAPS

Central Campus (East Quadrangle, Fletcher Hall, Henderson House, Martha Cook)

<http://www.housing.umich.edu/moveinfall/pdfs/central_map1.pdf>

Central Campus (Betsy Barbour, Helen Newberry, South Quadrangle, West Quadrangle, Cambridge House)

<http://www.housing.umich.edu/moveinfall/pdfs/central_map2.pdf>

Hill Area (Alice Lloyd, Couzens, Mary Markley, Oxford Housing, Stockwell)

<http://www.housing.umich.edu/moveinfall/pdfs/hill_map.pdf>

North Campus (Baits Houses, Bursley Hall)

<http://www.housing.umich.edu/moveinfall/pdfs/north_map.pdf>

North Campus (Northwood III)

<http://www.housing.umich.edu/moveinfall/pdfs/north_map2.pdf>

STREET CLOSURES AND TRAFFIC CHANGES

A number of streets (see below) on or near the U-M campus will have non-standard traffic flow beginning on Wednesday, August 29, and continuing through Friday, August 31. The affected streets will have barricades at both ends, with security and police personnel directing traffic to residence halls and unloading zones. Although regular city traffic is permitted along barricaded streets, there will be only one travel lane on each.

If drivers not involved in Move-In can avoid the affected streets and the periods of most Move-In congestion, traffic delays will become less likely. Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to travel to and from work before 9 am and between 4 pm and 6 pm, and to stay clear of streets near residence halls throughout the day.

Traffic changes will be in effect in the following locations:

Thompson -- from East Jefferson to Packard

Madison -- closed between Division and Thompson

Observatory -- from East Ann to Geddes: southbound traffic only

North University Court

Washington Heights -- traffic limited to one-way eastbound only (from Observatory Street down the hill)

East Ann -- from Observatory to Zina Pitcher Place: eastbound only

Monroe -- from State to end of cul-de-sac

Other affected streets may include the following:

Jefferson

Maynard

East University

Willard

Church

PARKING LOT CLOSURES

The following U-M parking areas will be partially or entirely closed during Move-In:

Bursley Hall Parking Lot -- Several parking spaces will be controlled August 29 - 31.

Richard Kennedy Drive -- Parallel parking spaces for U-M service vehicles will be closed August 29 - 31.

Thompson Street Structure (W3) -- Exit will be permitted on South Division only August 29 - 31.

Lot W16 (the "Triangle Lot"), located at Thompson, Packard and Madison -- Lot will be closed to all permit parkers August 29 - 31.

Lot W18, located next to Parking Services and the Thompson Street Parking Structure -- Lot will be closed August 28 - 31.

Lot M28, located on Washington Heights across from Markley Hall -- Lot will be closed to all permit parkers August 28 - 31.

Lot E1 on North University Court, across from Stockwell Hall -- Lot will be closed to all permit parkers August 28 - 31.

UNLOADING PERMITS DURING MOVE-IN

Each student is able to download a customized unloading permit from the Move-In Web site. It allows the student to park for up to 30 minutes near his or her residence hall on a designated day, according to the Move-In schedule. Any vehicle without a valid unloading permit is subject to being ticketed and towed. Students are given directions to other parking areas for when they are finished unloading. Overnight parking next to U-M residence halls is not permitted during Move-In.

The unloading permit also allows students short-term parking in blue and guest spots in the Palmer Structure, August 28 through August 31. The permit does not allow overnight parking in the structure.

MOVE-IN MAKERS

Move-In Makers will provide assistance to students and parents during the 2007 Fall Move-In. These student volunteers will welcome the new arrivals and guide them through the Move-In process by answering questions and directing vehicles and pedestrians. They will also help students unload and carry in their belongings.

MORE INFORMATION

For more about Fall Move-In, please see the University Housing Web site at http://www.housing.umich.edu or contact Dec Lugin in Housing Security at [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> or 734-764-XXXX.

[jbr12]

I'm so glad I lived around North Campus and never had to deal with this madness! Good luck to everyone in Ann Arbor!