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Ann Arbor warns of downtown closures, Blake Transit Center relocation during 2026 construction surge
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Summary
City public‑services staff said 4th Ave will close for major utility and pedestrian work beginning May 3, requiring Blake Transit Center closure and temporary bus stops at 5th Ave and Washington; staff urged residents to use Engage.A2Gov project pages and sign up for alerts.
City staff told the council that downtown Ann Arbor will experience concentrated construction impacts during the 2026 season as multiple projects converge. Sky Stewart, Chief of Staff for Public Services, said the high volume of work — city, DDA, Ann Arbor Housing Commission, DTE, University of Michigan and private development projects — will require some full street closures and temporary lane restrictions.
Stewart said a DDA‑led 4th Avenue project will close 4th Ave to bus traffic starting May 3, closing public access to the Blake Transit Center for the duration; most bus stops will temporarily move to blocks of 5th Ave and Washington Street anchored at that intersection, and one route will be suspended during work. Curbside space on the temporary blocks will be reserved for buses and include basic transit amenities. Stewart advised riders to check theride.org/btc for updates.
To coordinate multi‑party closures and reduce conflicting detours, staff showed an internal GIS mapping tool used to identify potential timing conflicts and to plan phasing. Stewart said a public, high‑level month‑by‑month anticipated closure map will go live at a2gov.org/roads and that detailed project pages and signups are available on Engage Ann Arbor (engage.a2gov.org).
Stewart acknowledged inconvenience to businesses and events, and described mitigation measures such as phased construction to reopen finished phases ahead of subsequent work, coordinating garage access, and working with Destination Ann Arbor and Main Street Ann Arbor to limit disruption to festivals and markets.
The presentation flagged specific near‑term closures: phasing and access changes at the Ann Nashley Garage (Miller access only until mid‑May), a three‑week pedestrian detour at Washington and 1st Street next week for safety, and a 36‑foot deep manhole installation on 1st Street that will require a closure and later micro‑tunneling work with a community event to launch the tunnel head.
Staff encouraged residents and businesses to bookmark project pages, sign up for alerts and plan alternate routes during peak construction months.
