Letter to Ypsilanti City Council re. Resolution to reconfigure two intersections

Please find attached a letter WBWC sent to Ypsilanti City Council concerning Resolution No. 2021-046 (reconfiguration of two intersections). If passed, this resolution will help protect vulnerable road users and improve cycling connectivity in Ypsilanti. -------------------------------------------------------- Dear Mayor and Council Members, We write to express our support for Resolution No. 2021-046, concerning the reconfiguration of two intersections in Ypsilanti. The proposed reconfigurations will improve safety for all users of this intersection—pedestrians, cyclists, users of mobility devices, and even car drivers. Intersections are sensitive locations for conflicts between cars and other road users. Slip lanes are particularly problematic, encouraging car drivers to proceed into intersections at speed, and prioritizing their travel over that of more vulnerable road users. The intersections in this resolution—N Huron St./W Cross St. and N Hamilton St./Washtenaw Ave.—both witness high traffic by vulnerable Ypsilanti road users. N Huron St./W Cross St. has a high amount of such users, given its proximity to Frog Island Park, Riverside Park, and the Huron River more generally, as well as the numerous other downtown destinations in the area. N Hamilton St./Washtenaw Ave. has numerous such users given its location in a heavy residential area and the importance of this corridor for access to downtown. Apart from promoting the safety of vulnerable road users, the proposed reconfigurations will improve connectivity in the area, both with existing bike lanes (e.g., those on W Cross) and those proposed (e.g., those on Pearl St.). In light of the above, we urge you to support Resolution No. 2021-046. We thank you for your service to the City of Ypsilanti, and we look forward to working further with you to improve safety for all road users in the city. Sincerely, The Washtenaw Bicycling & Walking Coalition Board of Directors