Service improvements designed to enhance on-time performance and provide faster connections between the Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor areas are planned by the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (TheRide) to go into effect on Sunday, January 27. Routes 5, 16, and 17 will be effected.
Route 5
Winter maps/schedules available here.
Ridership on Route 5 is the fourth largest of TheRide’s routes at 621,000 trips annually, with an increase of 35% over the past eight years.
The service improvements are intended to provide:
· More reliable service (better on-time performance)
· Less crowded trips
· More direct and faster service for riders
The number of buses on Route 5 will be increased from five to seven during morning and afternoon peak hours.
The segment of the route between downtown Ann Arbor and Packard/Stone School Roads will be increased from 4 to 6 trips per hour, and will continue to use the current routing.
Trip segments east of Packard/Stone School Roads will be divided into four variations:
· 5A trips will travel between downtown Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti via Packard Rd., Stone School Rd., Ellsworth Rd., and Platt Rd.
· 5B trips will travel between downtown Ann Arbor and Meijer via Packard Rd., Stone School Rd., and Ellsworth Rd.
· 5C trips will travel between downtown Ann Arbor and Meijer (Carpenter Rd.) via Packard Rd., Stone School Rd., Platt Rd., and Ellsworth Rd.
· NEW! - 5D trips will travel between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti directly via Buhr Park/Packard (with no service to Stone School Rd., Ellsworth Rd. or Platt Rd.).
Trips that are currently through-routed with route 3 will be disconnected. Passengers will now need to change buses to complete these transfers. Some trips that are currently through-routed with route 22 will be disconnected. Passengers should check with their driver to see if a bus change is needed.
Midday, evening, and weekend service will be unchanged.
Route 16
Adjustments will be made to multiple timepoints for the trip which currently leaves the Blake Transit Center at 7:03am.
Route 17
Routing will be revised to use Catherine St. instead of Huron St. Bus stops on Huron St., just west of State St. (in front of the Campus Inn), and on Division St., just north of Huron St., will no longer be serviced.
AirRide
Parking rates at the Fourth and William structure across from the Blake Transit Center in downtown Ann Arbor will be changed to $2 per day starting February 1, 2013.
Full details on the service changes are available in the Winter 2013 RideGuide and at TheRide.org.