Blake Transit Center

Last updated
Blake Transit Center
Blake Transit Center from the northeast.jpg
Blake Transit Center in late 2023
Blake Transit Center
EtymologyNamed after Richard Dumas Blake
General information
Address328 S 5th Ave
Town or city Ann Arbor, MI
Coordinates 42°16′42″N83°44′47″W / 42.2784°N 83.7465°W / 42.2784; -83.7465
GroundbreakingNovember 19, 2012 (2012-11-19)
OpenedJuly 7, 2014 (2014-07-07)
Cost$8.1 million
Technical details
Floor count2
Floor area12,019 sq ft (1,116.6 m2)
Blake Transit Center
Routes3, 4, 5, 6, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34
References
[1] [2]

The Blake Transit Center (commonly abbreviated as BTC or The Blake) is the Ann Arbor hub for the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority. It connects 17 bus routes in downtown Ann Arbor, Michigan and several intercity routes, and it is LEED Gold certified. [3] The current building is the second Blake Transit Center, built in the early 2010s to replace a smaller building on the west side of the block that could no longer manage the increased utilization.

Contents

Service

The Blake is the larger of the AAATA's two transit centers, serving as a destination for 17 routes. [4] It serves as the main hub for Ann Arbor's hub-and-spoke bus transportation model. Four of these routes (3, 4, 5 and 6) connect the Blake to the smaller Ypsilanti Transit Center by various routes.

Regional Service

In addition to serving local routes, the Blake is also the Ann Arbor terminus of the D2A2, an express bus service between Ann Arbor and Detroit. The other end of the line is at Grand Circus Park, providing access to the Detroit People Mover, the QLine, DDOT buses, SMART buses.

The Michigan Flyer bus service has its Ann Arbor stop on 5th Ave next to the Blake, connecting Ann Arbor both to Detroit Metropolitan Airport as well as to East Lansing and Brighton, Michigan. Finally, the Blake is one stop for the Indian Trails line 1488, which connects to Detroit, Jackson, Lansing, Clare, Gaylord, and St. Ignace. [5]

History

Original Blake Transit Center in 2013 Ann Arbor August 2013 27 (Blake Transit Center).jpg
Original Blake Transit Center in 2013

The original single-floor transit center was built in 1987 for the purpose of moving bus stops off Fourth Avenue and preventing transferring riders from having to cross the street; [6] the cost of the project was just over $1 million. [7]

Naming

In 1989, the transit center was renamed the Blake Transit Center following the unexpected death of Richard Dumas Blake. [8] In his time working at the AATA, Blake worked as a bus driver, the Coordinator of School Services, the Safety Director, and the Systems Manager for Marketing. [9] Blake was well known in the community for his outreach programs including Charlie Bus, a program to teach elementary school children to ride the bus.

New Building

Public art on the east wall of the Blake Transit Center Blake Transit Center east wall.jpg
Public art on the east wall of the Blake Transit Center

The current version broke ground in November 2012. This new building includes more modern facilities and more space, including restrooms, offices and a staff break room. The building was constructed in part due to the increase in ridership since the original building was constructed, and in part due to the increase in bus traffic, with the old building handling 40 buses per hour at its peak. [10]

The grand opening on 7 July 2014 was attended by US Representative John Dingell and Ann Arbor mayor John Hieftje, amongst other notable federal and state officials and local civic leaders. [3]

Planned Expansion

Immediately to the south of the Blake at 350 S Fifth Ave is a surface parking lot commonly called "The Y Lot" due to its history as the former site of a YMCA building that provided affordable housing in downtown Ann Arbor. [11] Due in part to the increase in buses at the Blake, resulting in many buses stopping along Fourth Ave, the city has incorporated plans for four additional bus bays to extend the availability of off-street bus stops. [12] The lot was sold to the Ann Arbor Housing Development Corporation in September 2023, [13] [14] and a Request for Proposals is open until 8 February 2024. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Arbor, Michigan</span> City in Michigan, United States

Ann Arbor is a city in and the county seat of Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States. The 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the fifth-largest city in Michigan. It is the principal city of the Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Washtenaw County. Ann Arbor is also included in the Greater Detroit Combined Statistical Area and the Great Lakes megalopolis, the most populated and largest megalopolis in North America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority</span>

The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AAATA), branded as TheRide, is the public transit system serving the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area in the U.S. state of Michigan. In fiscal year 2021, the system had a ridership of 1,725,797.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alvarado Transportation Center</span> Transit hub in the United States

The Alvarado Transportation Center (ATC) is a multimodal transit hub located at 100 1st Street SW in Downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico. The complex was built as a hub for Albuquerque's regional transit system and as a replacement for Albuquerque's previous bus depot and train station. The center serves ABQ RIDE, Amtrak, Greyhound Lines, and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express commuter rail line.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Detroit Department of Transportation</span> Public transportation agency in Detroit, Michigan

The Detroit Department of Transportation (DDOT) is the primary public transportation operator serving Detroit, Michigan. In existence since 1922, DDOT is a division of the city government, headed by a director appointed by the mayor. Primarily serving Detroit and its enclaves, DDOT is supplemented by suburban service from the Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART). In 2022, the system had a ridership of 9,425,700, or about 37,100 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Markley Hall</span> Residence hall at the University of Michigan, USA

Mary Markley Hall (Markley) is a residence hall operated by the University of Michigan University Housing in Ann Arbor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Arbor station</span>

Ann Arbor station is a train station in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States that is served by Amtrak's Wolverine, which runs three times daily in each direction between Chicago, Illinois and Pontiac, Michigan, via Detroit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Arbor–Detroit Regional Rail</span> Proposed commuter rail service between Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan

Ann Arbor–Detroit Regional Rail is a proposed commuter rail service along the Michigan Line between the cities of Ann Arbor and Detroit, Michigan, a total length of 39.72 miles (63.92 km). The project would connect with a proposed Detroit bus rapid transit service and the QLine streetcar.

WALLY was a commuter rail service proposed in 2008 which would have linked the Michigan cities of Ann Arbor and Howell. It never got past the planning stages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Circus Park station</span> Transportation hub and transfer station in Detroit, Michigan

Grand Circus Park station is a public transit station in Downtown Detroit, Michigan that services both the Detroit People Mover and the QLine. The station takes its name from the adjacent Grand Circus Park. It is also the terminus of the D2A2 commuter bus to Ann Arbor, and serves as a transfer point to SMART's FAST Michigan and Woodward express bus lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">QLine</span> Streetcar system in Detroit, Michigan

The QLine, originally known as M-1 Rail by its developers, is a 3.3-mile-long (5.3 km) streetcar system in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Opened on May 12, 2017, it connects Downtown Detroit with Midtown and New Center, running along Woodward Avenue (M-1) for its entire route. The system is operated by M-1 Rail, a nonprofit organization.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Bend Transpo</span> Municipal bus system serving South Bend, Indiana

The South Bend Public Transportation Corporation is a municipal bus system that serves the cities of South Bend and Mishawaka, as well as the nearby suburbs of Notre Dame and Roseland, in the very north of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the most recent incarnation of the South Bend Railway Company, a street railway company that was founded on May 25, 1885. Transpo receives funding from local, state and federal taxes. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 1,145,500, or about 4,400 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Trails</span>

Indian Trails, Inc., is an intercity bus operator primarily serving the U.S. state of Michigan, with routes also serving Wisconsin and Minnesota. Indian Trails is based in Owosso, Michigan, with offices in Romulus, East Lansing, and Kalamazoo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transportation in metropolitan Detroit</span>

Transportation in metropolitan Detroit comprises an expansive system of roadways, multiple public transit systems, a major international airport, freight railroads, and ports. Located on the Detroit River along the Great Lakes Waterway, Detroit is a significant city in international trade, with two land crossings to Canada. Three primary Interstate highways serve the region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Water Area Transit</span> Transit system

Blue Water Area Transit (BWAT) is the public transit operator serving Port Huron, Michigan and surrounding St. Clair County. Operated by the Blue Water Area Transportation Commission (BWATC), the BWAT system includes fixed-route buses in the Port Huron area, plus commuter routes and paratransit services. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 865,300, or about 4,200 per weekday.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ypsilanti, Michigan</span> City in Michigan, United States

Ypsilanti, commonly shortened to Ypsi, is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the city's population was 20,648. The city is bounded to the north by Superior Township and on the west, south, and east by Ypsilanti Township. It is home of Eastern Michigan University.

The Regional Transit Authority of Southeast Michigan (RTA) is the agency with oversight and service coordination responsibility for mass transit operations in metropolitan Detroit, Michigan. The counties of Macomb, Oakland, Washtenaw, and Wayne are included in the agency's jurisdiction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SEMTA Commuter Rail</span> Former commuter rail line in Detroit, Michigan

SEMTA Commuter Rail, also known as the Silver Streak, was a commuter train operated by the Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA) and the Grand Trunk Western Railroad between Detroit and Pontiac, Michigan. It began in 1974 when SEMTA assumed control of the Grand Trunk's existing commuter trains over the route. SEMTA discontinued operations in 1983. Amtrak began offering intercity service between Detroit and Pontiac in 1994 as part of its Michigan Services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Michigan Detroit Center</span> Community outreach center

The University of Michigan Detroit Center is a community outreach center, meeting/events facility, and academic home base for University of Michigan units, located in Midtown Detroit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Water Street Redevelopment Area</span> Multi-decade redevelopment project

Water Street is a brownfield in Ypsilanti, Michigan which used to be a site of various industries and businesses. In 1999, under the leadership of Cheryl Farmer, the City of Ypsilanti officially embarked on a project to redevelop the area to improve the general image of Ypsilanti and increase its tax revenue. Unsuccessful negotiations with developers and contamination have prevented the project from progressing. The city's goal to develop higher density tax generating property stemmed from the passing of the Headlee Amendment and Proposition A which resulted in limitations on property tax increases. Businesses and residents displaced by the proposed development attribute the blight and low taxable value of the area to the city's failure to provide and maintain municipal services and infrastructure. Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) includes parcels at Water street in the list of over 24,000 contaminated sites in Michigan, of which only 3,000 have been remediated in the last three decades. The contamination of the site is similar to other brownfield sites linked to the Automotive industry. Ypsilanti is among other municipalities in the state of Michigan with brownfield sites that remain undeveloped.

The Ypsilanti Transit Center is the secondary hub for the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority, the primary public transit service running in Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, and surrounding communities in Washtenaw County, Michigan. It serves roughly 101,000 bus arrivals and departures per year, providing the primary service hub for the 8.8% of Ypsilanti residents who commute by transit.

References

  1. ↑ "Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority Celebrates Blake Transit Center Grand Opening". WEMU-FM. 2014-07-07. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  2. ↑ "Richard Dumas Blake (1922-1989) | Ann Arbor District Library". aadl.org. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  3. 1 2 Kline, Don (2014-07-07). "MI: Grand Opening Ceremony Celebrates AAATA's New and Improved Downtown Blake Transit Center". Mass Transit. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  4. ↑ "Route Maps & Schedules Library | TheRide". www.theride.org. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  5. ↑ "Bus Routes | Indian Trails, Michigan". www.indiantrails.com. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  6. ↑ Transit-friendly streets: Design and Traffic Management Strategies to Support Livable Communities. National Academy Press. 1998. p. 28. ISBN   9780309062657.
  7. ↑ Increasing Jobs and Prosperity in Southeast Michigan. SEMCOG. 2010. p. 58.
  8. ↑ Gibson, Carol; Jones, Lola M. (2006). Another Ann Arbor. Arcadia Publishing. p. 92. ISBN   9780738540528.
  9. ↑ "Richard Dumas Blake (1922-1989) | Ann Arbor District Library". aadl.org. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  10. ↑ "AATA breaks ground on $8.1M new and improved Blake Transit Center in downtown Ann Arbor". AnnArbor.com. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  11. ↑ "A Walking Tour of Downtown Ann Arbor". Agenda. October 1991.
  12. ↑ "350 S. Fifth Ave". www.a2gov.org. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  13. ↑ "Ann Arbor City Council expected to approve sale of former YMCA Lot". WEMU-FM. 2023-09-05. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  14. ↑ "City of Ann Arbor - File #: 23-1431". a2gov.legistar.com. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  15. ↑ Stanton, Ryan (2023-12-13). "Ann Arbor seeks co-developer to build mixed-income housing downtown". mlive. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.