Why is this project being done?

The existing water main along Ann Street is over 100-years old and is undersized. The roadway is also in bad condition and needs to be replaced. This project will replace aging infrastructure, fix the road surface, improve stormwater drainage, and update the streetscape. In 2025, residents and business owners in the area were engaged to solicit their ideas and concerns, and to share the design concept.

Work to be done:

• Replace the old water main with a larger pipe between N. First Street and N. Fifth Avenue.
• Add new stormwater drainage between to reduce the risk of flooding
• Resurface the roadway
• Build permanent curb extensions at intersections
• Update the streetscape and replace unhealthy trees

Funding sources:

• Water main work will be paid for by the Water Supply System Fund.
• Stormwater system improvement will be paid for by the Stormwater Fund.
• Repaving will be funded by the Road, Bridge, and Sidewalk Millage Fund.
• Streetscape upgrades will be funded by the Ann Arbor DDA.

• Streets will be closed to thru traffic. Access to homes and businesses will be maintained but may include delays during working hours. Deliveries to businesses will be coordination directly with the business owner.
• On-street parking may be temporarily unavailable within the project area.
• Temporary water shutoffs are required and will be communicated in advance.
• Construction will cause noise, dust, and temporary parking changes.
• Mail, deliveries, garbage, compost and recycling will be accommodated.
• Work will take place within the City Right-of-Way, including storing materials required for the project. Any disturbed area will be restored after the project is completed.
• Construction notices will be delivered prior to construction.

April 21, 2026:

• Water main has been installed from First to Main and is being disinfected and tested.
• Once testing is complete, temporary water service interruptions will be required. Impacted properties will receive an orange door hanger prior to the shutdown with additional details.
• Installation of other underground utilities will continue throughout the week.
• Crosswalks are open at all intersections. Please follow the pedestrian detours and do not go around barricades. This is for your safety and the safety of others.

March 26, 2026:

Detour signage has been installed, and a marked route is in place. Navigation platforms, including Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze, have been updated to reflect current closures and detours.

Access to the Ann Ashley parking structure must be made from Miller Avenue to North Ashley Street. Due to the closure of the Ann Street exit, the parking structure capacity will be limited through Mid-May. Parking Permit holders are always guaranteed a spot, even if the sign says full. Please see the 'Traffic, Parking & Access Impacts' tab for more details.

The city is working closely with the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and the parking structure operators to alleviate congestion and confusion. We will monitor usage and will adjust available spaces to allow as much hourly parking as possible. We are working to balance parking needs with logistical considerations and will continue to fine tune operations as the first phase of the Ann Street project progresses.

The 16 trees on Ann Street between the parking structure and Fourth Avenue will be removed Saturday, April 4. On-street parking on Ann Street will be prohibited from Main Street to Fourth Avenue on April 4 for the work to be done. The work will last one day. New trees will be planted in new tree grates as part of the DDA’s streetscape portion of the project.

March 20, 2026 Update:

Construction of Phase 1 will begin, as planned, on Monday, March 23. Ann Street will be closed from First Street to Main Street; driveways on Ann Street will still be accessible. Ashley Street will be closed at Ann Street and First Street while Main Street will remain open. The Ann/Ashley parking structure will be accessible off Ashley Street. A detour will be posted on Monday, March 23.

Water main will be installed first. It will be installed along the south curbline from West to East.

The 16 trees on Ann Street between the parking structure and Fourth Avenue will be removed before April 15, per federal guidelines. If you have any lights in these trees, please remove them before April 1.

March 6, 2026 Update:

We are pleased to share that Bailey Excavating, Inc. has been awarded the construction contract for the Ann Street Improvements Project. Construction is scheduled to begin March 23, 2026. Construction will be completed in three (3) phases from west to east. A map of the phases is provided below.

As work gets underway, we encourage everyone within the project area to stay informed by joining the project mailing list. To receive timely updates, please click the “+Follow” button at the top of this page to be added to the mailing list for construction updates.

We appreciate your continued patience and support as we move into the construction phase and look forward to delivering these important improvements to the Ann Street corridor.

January 26, 2026 Update:

A rendering of the final design for Ann Street has been posted.

Please visit the website to view how the road is going to look when the project is complete. The on-street parking spaces are identified on the plan.

Some notable changes from the preliminary rendering are:

• Bump outs at the intersections were extended to prevent parked cars from being too close to intersections.
• A fully accessible on-street ADA parking space was added near Main St. The design will be the same as the newly installed ADA space on Fourth Ave north of Huron St.
• Two more disabled on-street parking spaces were also added to the corridor. These are standard parking dimensions, but a person must have a disabled placard to park there.
• The Sharrow bike symbols were removed.

The major changes from the current layout include:

• The bike lane was removed. There was no room for a two-way bike lane and there is a high-comfort, two-way bike lane one block north on Miller/Catherine.
• A mid-block crosswalk will be added by the Ann-Ashely parking structure.
• The long curb cut in the northwest quadrant of Ann St. and Main St. will be closed and on-street parking will be added on both sides of the road.
• A unified street design, including garden beds, streetlights, benches, and bike hoops, will be installed from Ashley St. to Fifth Ave.
• Most of the on-street parking and loading zones will stay the same.

The project is out to bid right now, and the City will open proposals next week. Construction is expected to start in April and be completed in three phases. The road will be completed by November of 2026. An informational video will be posted to the website in February to explain the phases and impacts of construction.