The City of Ann Arbor is moving forward with a reconfiguration of Green Road intended to improve safety for people walking and bicycling in the northern part of the city, officials said.
Changes planned and schedule
The project will restripe the roadway to narrow vehicle travel lanes, install buffered bike lanes on the stretch between Plymouth and Burbank roads, and add a pedestrian safety island at one or more crossings. City staff say the work will begin this fall and is expected to be completed before winter weather sets in.
City transportation staff emphasize the design seeks to reduce conflict where multiple vehicle lanes pass crosswalks. Narrower lanes and clearer separation for bikes are intended to increase visibility and slow traffic speeds, which can lower the chance of crashes involving pedestrians.
“There's also a much higher potential for pedestrian crashes at crossings, because there's a chance that one vehicle might stop for a pedestrian at a crosswalk, but the outside vehicle in the second lane would not stop or not see the pedestrian. So, that's one of the big safety outcomes that we're really driving for.”
The comment came from Cyrus Naheedy, Ann Arbor’s transportation engineer, who described how reducing multi-lane crossing exposure can lessen the likelihood of a vehicle in an adjacent lane failing to stop for a person using a crosswalk.
Local implications and context
Green Road is a north-south corridor that serves both neighborhood traffic and people accessing nearby commercial and institutional destinations. By reallocating pavement space, the city aims to create a safer environment for nonmotorized users without removing travel access for motorists.
Officials said the reconfiguration will include repainting the street to reflect the new lane widths and bike lane buffers. These are low-cost, relatively rapid measures compared with full curb or sidewalk reconstruction, and they can be implemented within a single construction season.
- Scope: Repaint lanes, narrow vehicle lanes, add buffered bike lanes (Plymouth–Burbank), install pedestrian refuge island(s).
- Timing: Work starts this fall and is slated to finish before winter.
- Goal: Reduce pedestrian crash risk by improving visibility and lowering vehicle conflicts at crossings.
What residents should expect
During the restriping and installation of markings, motorists and bicyclists may encounter short-term lane shifts or work zones. Because the city plans to complete the work prior to winter, the window for construction is limited; drivers should watch for posted signs and flaggers and expect temporary traffic pattern changes.
| Project element | Details |
|---|---|
| Lane width | Narrowed travel lanes (repainted) |
| Bike facilities | Buffered bike lanes between Plymouth and Burbank |
| Pedestrian improvement | Pedestrian safety island(s) at crossing(s) |
| Schedule | Begin this fall, finish prior to winter |
Transportation staff say the striping and channelization adjustments are designed to make it easier for drivers to see people entering crosswalks and to reduce the chance that a vehicle in an adjacent lane will obscure or pass a stopped car. The city did not indicate plans for curb work or major utility relocation as part of this phase.
Residents with questions about timing, temporary traffic impacts or the specific location of the pedestrian island can contact the city’s transportation department or look for updates on the Ann Arbor municipal website.
The project follows broader efforts by the city in recent years to reallocate street space to protect people walking and biking and to lower speeds on corridors where pedestrian crossings have been identified as higher risk.
