The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA) in Ann Arbor, MI, has approved a four-party Public Transportation Agreement and Articles of Incorporation that will allow the agency to expand its services countywide. This action follows previous approvals from the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners and the city councils of Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.

“Over the past year and a half, we have worked with local governments, the county, Ann Arbor, and Ypsilanti to develop a process to meet local and countywide transportation needs,” said AATA Board Chair Jesse Bernstein. “This is an exciting step: there is now a clear path for local governments to move forward to improve existing public transportation services in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti and to expand access to underserved areas of our county.”

Under the terms of the agreement, AATA must finalize a five-year transit program and publicize it throughout the county at public meetings. Then, the AATA board and representatives of other communities will request the county clerk to file incorporation papers to create a new authority.

To become operational, the new authority will need to request and receive voter approval of a funding mechanism to pay for services that the authority will provide.

The draft five-year program proposes extended and more frequent service in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti, as well as a combined, comprehensive system of fixed routes, expanded on-demand service, and regional connector routes outside the cities.

Once all of the steps outlined in the public transit agreement are completed, AATA’s assets and responsibilities would be transferred to the new public transit authority, which would be governed by a 15-member board. Ann Arbor would receive seven appointments to the board, with the other board members representing additional transit districts throughout Washtenaw County.

“Transportation needs do not start and stop at local municipal boundaries,” said AATA Chief Executive Officer Michael Ford. “The new countywide authority will be able to enhance public transportation options even further by taking into account the needs of all Washtenaw County communities.”