Pedestrian tunnel under construction to link two Ann Arbor parks
A pedestrian tunnel will link two public parks later this year in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and the city has shared updates on the efforts during recent days.
The north side of Bandemer Park is back open to the public, but the tunnel area itself remains closed to access until the fall. There are some parking areas and pedestrian detours around what remains an active construction site.
"Avoid work areas & follow signs," the City of Ann Arbor posted on its social media.
The tunnel will go under a Michigan Department of Transportation railroad to connect Bandemer Park and Barton Nature Area near North Main Street and M-14. It will be one of the links in the Washtenaw County Border to Border trail.
Without such a tunnel, there has been "no safe and legal connection for pedestrians and bicyclists," the city said on the project's website.
"Many pedestrians and bicyclists choose to illegally cross the railroad tracks at this location, showing that it is a highly desired route."
Plans for the park upgrades began in 2019 with a feasibility study. Construction on the tunnel began in March and will finish in the fall. A two-day railroad track outage needed to complete some of the work took place Tuesday and Wednesday.
A public art space will finish up the tunnel feature.
This project is jointly funded by the City of Ann Arbor, the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission and the non-profit Huron Waterloo Pathways Initiative.
The project's timeline and closure maps can be found on the city's website.