Skip to main content
M-17 (Washtenaw Avenue) PEL Study

M-17 (Washtenaw Avenue) PEL Study

The M-17 (Washtenaw Avenue) Planning and Linkages (PEL) study will focus on the 3-mile stretch of Washtenaw Avenue between Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, which also connects Ypsilanti Township and Pittsfield Township. Washtenaw Avenue plays a significant role in Washtenaw County by providing regional connections to Eastern Michigan University (EMU), Washtenaw Community College (WCC), St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, downtown Ypsilanti, and other community assets. A more connected and multimodal-focused corridor will help improve travel, safety, economic development, and community pride.

The M-17 PEL study will develop a vision for Washtenaw Avenue through a collaborative, data-driven and engagement-focused process that will seek to improve mobility and quality of life for those who live, work, study, explore, and travel within the corridor. This PEL study will also explore the eastern half of Washtenaw Avenue from Summit Street to the US-23 interchange. The final PEL report will include recommendations that both MDOT and the local communities can implement to achieve the shared vision for the corridor. 

Resources

Washtenaw Avenue PEL Video

Local Agency Group Presentation 1

Local Agency Group Presentation 2

Provide Your Input

Public and stakeholder input is sought throughout the study. Submit your comments via our online comment form, mail, phone, or e-mail.

Monica Monsma | 517-335-4381
MDOT Environmental Services
425 West Ottawa St. 
P.O. Box 30050 
Lansing, MI 48909 

Get Involved

Submit Comments

Sign Up for Study Updates

Virtual Open House


What is a Planning and Environmental Linkages (PEL) Study?

PEL studies are typically used to identify transportation issues while considering environmental concerns in a corridor or a specific location. PEL studies can be used to make planning decisions. For example, these decisions can be used to identify and prioritize future projects, develop the purpose and need for a project, determine project size or length, and/or develop and refine a range of alternatives. PEL studies should be able to link planning to environmental issues and result in useful information that can be carried forward into the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process.

The PEL study will:

  • Consider environmental, community, and economic goals early in the transportation planning process.
  • Use the information analysis and services or recommendations to inform the environmental review process.
  • Evaluate the condition, geometric/safety, and operational needs.

Reimagine Washtenaw

The Reimagine Washtenaw study was a multi-jurisdictional corridor improvement effort to transform Washtenaw Avenue into a Complete Street, incorporating multi-modal elements such as bike lanes and complete sidewalks, creating a sense of place and sustainable and denser mixed-use development.  A coalition of the Cities of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, and Charter Townships of Pittsfield and Ypsilanti, and the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority, was formed in 2008 to drastically improve the corridor, by adding bike lanes, sidewalks, dense transit-oriented development, and more robust public transit. 

Learn more about the Reimagine Washtenaw Study.

PEL studies and other planning products may be incorporated into environmental planning and National Environmental Policy Act processes.