MDOT is undertaking an Environmental Assessment (EA) study on US-23 in Washtenaw County. This corridor carries approximately 80,000 vehicles on a typical weekday.
The US-23 project scope has changed and MDOT is moving forward with a new alternative that best fits the community’s needs while providing improvements to roadway pavement, bridges, multimodal mobility, and safety. Alternatives that have been studied and dismissed from consideration include the addition of a high-occupancy vehicle lane, flex lane, and general-purpose lane.
Throughout the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process, MDOT evaluated environmental, traffic and community impacts while working closely with the City of Ann Arbor, The Ride, community stakeholders, and the public. After extensive engagement activities, MDOT has listened and is proceeding forward with a new alternative titled Safely Connecting Communities. This new alternative has been carefully considered and is intended to enhance the overall transportation experience for the Washtenaw County community.
The project study limits have been revised: the new northern study limit ends just north of Earhart Road while the new southern study limit ends just south of US-23 and I-94.
The new Safely Connecting Communities alternative under consideration includes:
- Rebuilding two lanes in each direction.
- Improvements to accommodate future transit plans.
- Improvements on the westbound I-94 ramp to northbound US-23.
- Rebuilding and reconfiguring the US-23/Washtenaw Avenue interchange.
- Rebuilding and preventive maintenance of nine bridges and incorporating multimodal improvements.
- Safety improvements.
