East or west?

By Christine Laughren
Feb. 19, 2009    ·    12:14 a.m.

An initial discussion has begun in Depot Town regarding the placement of a platform for the light rail passenger train expected to stop in town starting in October of 2010.

The Depot Town Association started the discussion at its monthly meeting Wednesday night regarding the regional rail service in the Ann Arbor – Detroit corridor.

The issue is whether the platform would be located on the west or the east side of the tracks. If the platform were located on the west side of the tracks passengers would likely utilize the Rice Street parking lot near Frog Island Park. If it were on the east side of the tracks passengers would use the Maple Street lot.

The City as a whole has had little discussion surrounding the issue and public meetings are in the works yet differences in opinion as to which side the platform should be on are already starting to surface.

Owners and operators of Aubree’s Pizza have said they would prefer the platform on the east side of the tracks. Andy French, son of Bill and Sandee French and chief financial officer for Aubree’s, said patrons of the restaurant typically utilize the two-hour parking behind the building on Market Place and tend to spill over into the Rice Street parking lot during peak business hours.

French said at Wednesday’s meeting, the Rice Street lot would better serve customers who are frequenting the area businesses as opposed to commuters who may not.

“We really believe that this train could be a huge benefit and a big success,” he said. “And if this is a success and we don’t plan for this properly, we could end up regretting this and putting a lot of strain and pressure on, not just ourselves, but the other businesses in Depot Town.”

Gary McKeever, president of the DTA agreed. He said when the passenger train stopped in Depot Town years ago commuters would take up parking spaces best suited for patrons of the local businesses.

“People that got on the train, went to Detroit, came home, jumped in their cars and left,” he said.

Two-hour parking was not implemented in spaces behind Aubree’s and near the freighthouse the last time the train stopped in Depot Town and City Council member Pete Murdock, D- Ward 3, said there is more than just parking to consider.

“The issues I think are bigger than just the parking,” he said. “The issues, I think, are how are we going to integrate this train to maximize the economic development of the Depot Town neighborhood.”

Murdock said he is open to having the platform on either side, but suggested people who park on the west side would be more likely to utilize Depot Town and the summer Farmers’ Market near the freighthouse.

Corinne Sikorski, general manager of the Ypsi Food Co-op, said she is concerned about parking and suggested her preference for the east lot but also raised the issues of accessibility to Depot Town.

The Maple Street lot, built by the Depot Town Development Authority, is approximately two blocks away from Depot Town, tucked into a small piece of land at the end of the street. It is a $500 fine to cross the tracks, for a more direct route to Depot Town.

Murdock said an overpass, likely constructed on the City’s dime, could be considered. He also said a pedestrian gate could also be a possibility, though, he said owners of rail lines tend to steer clear of those.

Dennis Dahlmann, who owns several hotels and office buildings in Ann Arbor, owns Ypsilanti’s former train depot. Murdock said that depot does not meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards because it is too close to the rail.

Murdock and other city officials met with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments recently to discuss the passenger line, which will stop in Depot Town four times on weekdays and three times on Saturdays and Sundays. He said SEMCOG has no preference as to which side the platform is on, nor do owners of the rail, Norfolk Southern and Canadian National Railroads.

He said SEMCOG would like to have the city’s preference in the next three to five months. City staff is developing a process for determining the answer and plans to facilitate some meetings to hash out the issue.

Light rail background
View a video describing the Ann Arbor to Detroit Rail Service by clicking here.