ANN ARBOR – Most Ann Arborites will tell you to avoid driving anywhere near downtown during Art Fair, and they’re right. Traffic during the three-day event is usually a nightmare, but there are alternative ways to get downtown.
Public buses, shuttle services and bicycle lanes are all great ways to avoid any extra anxiety as you plan your Art Fair trip.
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Here’s how to get downtown during Art Fair:
PARK AND RIDE
Use shuttles to go to and from Art Fair to Park and Ride lots at Briarwood Mall (100 Briarwood Circle) and Huron High School (2727 Fuller Rd.). Round-trip tickets cost $8 but rides are free for children 5 years old and younger. Parking is free at both locations.
They will run every 10-15 minutes during these times:
- 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.:Thursday, July 20 - Friday, July 21
- 9 a.m. - 9 p.m.: Saturday, July 22
Service animals are allowed on the shuttles, but pets are not. The shuttles are air-conditioned and wheelchair-accessible.
The Briarwood Mall shuttle stops on Main Street near William Street and on State Street near South University.
The Huron High School bus will stop at the intersections of Fletcher and Washington streets and on South University Street near Forest Street.
CYCLE
Finding space for a bicycle downtown is much easier than finding a parking spot.
Use Ann Arbor’s 79-mile network of bike lanes, and protected bike lanes, to head downtown. Bicycles can be parked at more than 1,000 spaces, that include bike hoops, seasonal on-street racks, and covered bike parking in parking structures, seasonal on-street racks and spaces on the University of Michigan campus.
Learn more here.
PUBLIC BUSES
Use TheRide buses to get downtown. Adult tickets cost $1.50 and $3.00 for a day pass. Discounts are available for seniors, those with disabilities and K-12 students. Rides are free for children age 5 and younger.
Buy tickets when getting in buses, online at TheRide’s website, with the EZ Fare mobile application, or in person at several locations in Ann Arbor.
Those visiting Ann Arbor can park at a Park & Ride lot operated by TheRide outside of the city, and use a bus to get downtown. Lots are located on TheRide fixed bus routes, and all-day parking is free. Find a list of lots here.