New traffic plan announced as $6.5M Miller Avenue project enters second phase

Ann Arbor officials Wednesday announced the start of a new traffic control plan for Miller Avenue from Maple Road to Linda Vista Avenue for construction expected to last into November.

This is the second stage of the $6.5 million Miller Avenue Improvement Project. The upcoming work involves complete reconstruction of the south side of the roadway and many of the same improvements made along the north side as part of the first stage, which started in April.

That includes bicycle lanes, pedestrian crossings and raised islands, repair of existing sidewalks, placement of new sidewalks in areas where none presently exist, new sidewalk ramps and concrete bus stop pads, and stormwater improvements like bioswales, rain gardens and larger storm sewer pipes to allow for detention.

Utility work also is being done to replace a portion of sanitary sewer between Maple Road and City Drive. Crews also will be working on connecting water services from the new water main installed during the first stage of work to residences along the south side of the road.

During the second stage, one-way eastbound traffic on Miller Avenue will be permitted. Vehicles traveling into the city will be shifted onto the new and mostly complete northern portion of the roadway and a single eastbound traffic lane will be maintained.

Vehicles traveling west out of the city will again be detoured using Main Street, First Street, Chapin Street or Seventh Street to Huron Street to Jackson Avenue to Maple Road and back to Miller Avenue.

This traffic control scenario will remain in place until work on the south half of the roadway is complete. At that time, the roadway will be reopened for two-way traffic and any remaining work will be accomplished using flag control or intermittent lane closures as required. Work also will be occurring at the Miller Avenue/Newport Road intersection that will require motorists desiring to travel north on Newport Road to use an alternate route.

Northbound traffic on Newport will be detoured via Pomona Road and Sunset Road. Southbound traffic on Newport is planned to be maintained through the Miller Avenue intersection.

That detour is expected to remain in place until the end of August, weather permitting, at which time Newport Road will be reopened to traffic in both directions and westbound Miller Avenue traffic will be permitted to travel up to Newport Road and then turn right or left.

Ryan J. Stanton covers government and politics for AnnArbor.com. Reach him at ryanstanton@annarbor.com or 734-623-2529. You also can follow him on Twitter or subscribe to AnnArbor.com's email newsletters.