ANN ARBOR – Voters in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township approved the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority’s millage in Tuesday’s primary election.
TheRide’s 2.38 mil property tax with the aim to improve and expand public transit service in the area passed with 61% of the vote. The new millage and services will not go into effect until 2024.
Recommended Videos
“We’re thrilled that the millage passed and we thank the citizens of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township for their support and understanding of the value of public transit in our community. We now begin the work to set plans in place for 2024,” CEO of TheRide Matt Carpenter said in a statement.
Thank you to everyone who supported our millage. We’re thrilled to announce the millage passed with 61% support and will begin in 2024. Learn more at: https://t.co/rAcC5K94DV pic.twitter.com/S6xMexePil
— catchtheride (@CatchTheRide) August 3, 2022
“Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to the voters of Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti and Ypsilanti Township who supported our vision for the future of public transit in Washtenaw County,” TheRide Board of Directors Chair Eric Mahler said in a statement. “TheRide will work tirelessly to execute our Long Range Plan to bring the services this region needs to continue be one of the most vital and livable counties in Michigan.”
According to a release, the millage will include:
- Maintaining current service
Continue providing essential transportation service in the greater Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area - Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti Express Route
Limited-stop express route along Washtenaw Ave. decreasing travel time by 30% - Increased Frequency of Service
More buses on the weekends, increasing all 60-minute service to every 30-minutes - Longer hours of Service
Earlier Saturday service and consistently longer hours of operation on both weekday and weekend evenings - Expanded Overnight Service
Add overnight and holiday service and expand NightRide to all of City of Ypsilanti, all of Ypsilanti Twp north of Textile Road - Customer Service Agents at the Ypsilanti Transit Center
In-person agents and office improvements at Ypsilanti Transit Center allowing ticket sales and in-person customer service. - Capital Improvements
Capital fund for future projects such as terminals, BRT, zero-emission buses, garage, etc.
To learn more, visit TheRideYourWay.org.