Ann Arbor, Michigan

Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 114,024, which includes about 30,000 students. A person from Ann Arbor is called an "Ann Arborite." The city itself is often called A2 ("A two") or A² ("A-squared"), and less commonly Tree Town (or, usually tongue-in-cheek, The People's Republic of Ann Arbor). Recently, some youth have taken to calling Ann Arbor Ace Deuce or simply The Deuce.

Infrastructure

Health and medicine

The University of Michigan Medical Center, the preeminent health facility in the city, is the world's largest university medical center and is considered one of the nation's best hospitals, taking the #11 slot in the 2005 U.S. News & World Report rankings. The University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) includes University Hospital, C.S. Mott Children's Hospital and Women's Hospital in its core complex. UMHS also operates out-patient clinics and facilities elsewhere in the city. The area's other major medical centers include a large facility operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs in Ann Arbor, and Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital in nearby Ypsilanti.

Related Topics:
2005 - U.S. News & World Report - Department of Veterans Affairs - Ypsilanti

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Transportation

The city is served by three highway-grade roadways: I-94 (which runs along the southern portion of the city), US 23 (which primarily runs along the eastern edge of Ann Arbor), and M-14 (which runs along the northern edge of the city).

Related Topics:
Highway - I-94 - US 23 - M-14

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The streets in downtown Ann Arbor conform to a grid pattern, though this pattern is less apparent in the surrounding areas. Several major roads branch out from the downtown district like spokes on a wheel to the highways surrounding the city. Some of the major surface arteries lead to the I-94/M-14 juncture in the west, US 23 in the east, and the city's southern areas. Also, a large and expanding network of bike paths crisscrosses the city.

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The Ann Arbor Transportation Authority (AATA), which brands itself as "The Ride," operates public bus services throughout Ann Arbor and nearby Ypsilanti. A separate free bus service operates within the University of Michigan campuses. Plans have been floated several times to operate a trolley service between downtown and Briarwood Mall along disused rail tracks, although these have not come to fruition as of 2005. For out-of-town bus service, a downtown bus depot is served by Greyhound Lines, and is the city's only remaining example of the Streamline Moderne architectural style.

Related Topics:
Ann Arbor Transportation Authority - Bus - Ypsilanti - 2005 - Greyhound Lines - Streamline Moderne

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Ann Arbor Municipal Airport is a small aircraft general aviation facility located south of I-94. Detroit Metropolitan Airport, the area's large international airport, is located about 28 miles (45 km) east of the city, in Romulus. Additionally, Willow Run Airport in nearby Ypsilanti serves freight, corporate, and general aviation clients.

Related Topics:
I-94 - Detroit Metropolitan Airport - Romulus - Willow Run Airport

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The city was a major rail hub, notably for freight traffic between Toledo and ports north of Chicago from 1878 to 1982, though the Ann Arbor Railroad also sold 1.1 million passenger tickets in 1913 alone.{{ref|train}} The city was also served by the Michigan Central Railroad starting in 1837. Currently, Amtrak provides passenger rail service from Ann Arbor to Detroit and Chicago, Illinois via the Ann Arbor Train Station; the present-day station neighbors the city's old Michigan Central Depot, which was renovated as a restaurant in 1969. There have been plans to build a commuter rail link between Ann Arbor and Detroit, with the U.S. federal government providing $100 million to enable its development.{{ref|train2}}

Related Topics:
Toledo - Chicago - 1878 - 1982 - Ann Arbor Railroad - 1913 - Michigan Central Railroad - 1837 - Amtrak - Detroit - 1969 - Commuter rail - $

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Utilities

The city provides sewage disposal and water supply services, with water coming from the Huron River and groundwater sources. There are two water-treatment plants, one main and three outlying reservoirs, four pump stations, and two elevated tanks. These facilities serve the city, which is divided into five water districts. Along with these facilities, the city's water department also operates four dams along the Huron River, two of which provide hydroelectric power.{{ref|water}} The city also offers waste management services, with recycling being handled by Recycle Ann Arbor. Other utilities are primarily provided by private entities. Electrical power and gas are provided by DTE Energy, Consumers Energy, and MichCon. SBC Communications, the successor to Michigan Bell and Ameritech, is the primary telephone service provider for the area. Cable service is primarily provided by Comcast.

Related Topics:
Water-treatment - Reservoir - Hydroelectric power - Electrical power - SBC Communications - Ameritech - Comcast

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