Ann Arbor Completes Final Phase of State Street Project, Adds First Bus-Only Lane

Ann Arbor has entered the last stage of its State Street Watermain and Resurfacing Project. The street will reopen Nov. 15 with the city's first bus-only lane. Crews are installing sidewalks and crosswalks in the section between William and South University, closed since June.

Nicholas Hutchinson serves as City Engineer. He said the work will upgrade water systems and fix damaged sidewalks and roads downtown.

"We're adding a transit-only lane out there. So, it will be a lane dedicated completely to buses on that side, which is going to be the first one in the city. So, that's kind of exciting," said Hutchinson, according to WEMU.

The transit-only lane marks a shift in how downtown handles buses. Buses will have their own space, separate from cars and trucks. This setup aims to speed up travel times through one of the busiest parts of town.

Construction crews have worked on this section since June, replacing old water pipes beneath the street. The project also resurfaces pavement and walkways that serve thousands of people each day.

The closure affected a key corridor connecting William Street to South University. That stretch runs through the heart of downtown, near shops, restaurants, and the University of Michigan campus. Traffic has been detoured for five months while crews completed underground and surface work.

Workers are finishing up now. They're putting in sidewalks and crosswalks throughout the construction zone. The city has set Nov. 15 as the target date to reopen all lanes.

Hutchinson confirmed plans are in place to meet that deadline. The reopening will restore access to a section blocked off for nearly half a year.

The bus-only lane represents the first of its kind here. Other cities have used similar designs to improve transit efficiency and reduce delays. The dedicated lane should help buses keep more consistent schedules through downtown.

The Nov. 15 reopening date falls just over a week away. City officials expect the street to return to operation once inspections are complete, and remaining construction equipment is removed.