Many infrastructure improvements have occurred recently within the City of Ypsilanti.  Our city goals with the project are to:

Reduce the predicted number of crashes per mile per year by reducing the number of travel lanes. 

Improve pedestrian safety by reducing the travel lanes needed to cross. 

Improve mobility for non-vehicular transportation modes by adding bike lanes. 

Slow vehicle traffic speeds, reducing the risk of fatal injury in a crash. 

Prioritize local travelers within the community. 

Major interactions highlighted:

Huron/Michigan: 

• The right lane has been removed and becomes a bike lane—bicycle Box at Michigan Avenue and 
• Along Huron Street, improved ADA-compliant crosswalks are located at Casler, Buffalo, Catherine, Michigan, and Woodward.
  

Huron & Cross

• The right lane was removed and replaced with a bike lane from Pearl to Cross.
• Removed the island from the intersection allowing an additional left turn lane.
• Reduced from four lanes to three.
• Improved the ADA crosswalks at the intersection.

Washtenaw & Summit (see photograph below)

• The right lane was removed, and a bike lane was added.
• Improved all crosswalks at the intersection. by meeting ADA accessibility requirements.

Washtenaw & Hamilton

• Removed the slip lane and converted it to a bike lane
• Reduced the size of the pedestrian island
• A stoplight was added with the removal of a stop sign.
• Enhanced all of the crosswalks and improved ADA accessibility.
• Double right lanes at the intersection

Hamilton & Michigan

• Converted a vehicle lane to a bicycle lane
• Reduced two left lanes to a single left turn lane.
• Enhanced all of the crosswalks and improved ADA accessibility.

Historic Preservation News

Old House Ypsi

With our partners, the Ypsilanti Historical Society and the Ypsilanti Heritage Foundation, the City of Ypsilanti hosted Old House Ypsi on Sunday, November 5 at the Ypsilanti Freighthouse. The event was free and was a success.  About 50 registrants attended the presentations about energy efficiency, old wood windows, and old house research.  The energy efficiency presentation and the day’s handouts are available at  https://cityofypsilanti.com/263/Historic-District.  We look forward to hosting another Old House Ypsi event next year!  Thanks to our partners, presenters, and attendees!

Historic District resurvey in 2024

The City of Ypsilanti received a Certified Local Government Grant from Michigan’s State Historic Preservation Office to resurvey our historic district.  Our architectural surveys were completed in the 1970s and early 1980s. As time passes and document standards change, we need to resurvey to continue making the best possible decisions for our historic places.  We look forward to kicking off the effort with a community engagement meeting in early 2024.  More info will be available soon!

Have you checked out the neighborhood intel system through Munetrix? Please register to make an account on our city website under resources: https://cityofypsilanti.com/223/Citizens-Guide 

The program allows residents the ability to:

• Examine time-series metrics that provide historical, current, and predictive insights
• Search and save data on specific properties by address
• View violations, certificates, permits, and licenses issued to specific properties
• View reports on specific properties and comparison to the city or neighborhood metrics
• Create custom layer maps combining selected data & much more! 

New hires at the City of Ypsilanti

Ypsilanti Police Department Call Logs

at YPD, we’re working on how to revamp the 24-Hour Call Logs Reports. They are available publicly on our website here. We appreciate your support for the Ypsilanti Police Department.

The 3rd Annual Holiday Storefront Competition begins December 1st at 5 pm during First Fridays Ypsilanti! Vote, support Ypsi small businesses, and win prizes! Vote for your favorite storefront while supporting Ypsi small businesses and win prizes! You can vote online or by seeing the storefronts in person and scanning their QR code!

More information on their website

The Secret Santa Society of Ypsilanti Kick-Off Its Fifth Year

The Secret Santa Society of Ypsilanti is a 100% volunteer-led 501(c)3 nonprofit that collects Christmas gift donations for families in need, wraps them and delivers them to the families Christmas Eve night. Clothing, household supplies, personal care items and food are also donated along with gifts. The organization started in 2019 by supporting 24 families and has since continued to grow. Last year's campaign supported 75 local families and reached over 350 people for the holidays.

The need for support for the Secret Santa Society of Ypsilanti remains high as the 2023 holiday season kicks off. Our organization aims to support a minimum of 65 families this year. This is where the community comes in to help. There are a few ways to be a part of the magic:

• Monetary donations: these go towards purchasing food and filling in highly needed items for families such as coats and boots. 
• Volunteer as a shopper: Volunteers can sign up to shop and support a specific family.
• General donations: We gladly accept general donations of toys and especially coats, boots, personal care items and cleaning supplies. 
• Volunteer as a gift wrapper or delivery driver: all donated items are wrapped by volunteers from our community during the weekends in December at the Michigan Firehouse Museum in Ypsilanti. Volunteers also pick up the wrapped gifts, food and supplies from the museum on Christmas Eve night and deliver them to our families. 
• Tell your friends and family about the organization: sharing our organization page helps get the word out and broadens our reach to the community.

Please see the Secret Santa Society of Ypsilanti’s website for additional information.  Or Contact the email with any questions: secretsantasocietyypsi@gmail.com

The Corner Health Center

Join The Corner Health Center as we premiere the Three-Course Celebratory, where guests come to witness a live cooking competition; enjoy a complimentary three-course meal; listen to good music; and experience the transformation that happens when young people (and their children) come to The Corner! This event is inspired by our Healthy Youth, Healthy Futures program; where youth learn how to cook through classes that focus on economically and culturally appropriate food preparation. Early bird tickets are available now! - bit.ly/3PJlznz

Your ticket includes:

- A giveaway item on the night of the event

- 3-course meal & to watch a live cooking competition!

Sponsorship opportunities are still available! Contact dmanigault@cornerhealth.org to sponsor.

The mission of The Corner Health Center is to inspire 12-to 25-year-olds (and their children) to achieve and sustain healthy lives by providing judgement-free, affordable health and wellness care and education.

Upcoming Ypsilanti District Library Events

Friday, December 1st, join in for the annual Downtown Tree lighting ceremony starting at 5:00 PM. Enjoy singing along with the Ypsilanti Youth Choir, sipping hot chocolate, decorating cookies, creating an ornament, and visiting the Bookmobile! Santa is there for photographs in his slay.

Downtown Tree Lighting - Ypsilanti District Library (ypsilibrary.org)

On Saturday, December 2nd at 4:00 PM (Superior Location):

Local author Monica Hickson will discuss her nonfiction memoirs "The COVID Diaries" and "He's Not My Type" to share her experience of losing a loved one to COVID-19. Followed by a Q&A. Monica Hickson: The COVID Diaries - Ypsilanti District Library (ypsilibrary.org)

Sunday, December 3rd at 2:00 PM (Whittaker Location): Paul Keller and his merry band of musicians joyfully celebrate the holiday season with good cheer and swinging jazz. All ages are welcome! Paul Keller Ensemble Holiday Jazz Concert - Ypsilanti District Library (ypsilibrary.org)

On December 7th, come to Aubree’s on Whittaker Road between 11 AM-10 PM and 20% of your bill will be donated to YDL to restore the downtown branch after the summer water damage.

Riverside Arts Center updates!

On the first and third Wednesday of every month, artists can bring two pieces of original art to present. Artists, art lovers, collectors, curators – everyone is welcome from Ypsi and beyond! Attendees are not required to present. Anyone is welcome to simply gather with our community and enjoy the incredible artwork. Presentations occur on a first-come first-served basis. Doors open at 5:00 PM, and presentations start at 5:30 PM. Sign up by 6:00 PM to present.

Attention Adult Education Advocates and Partners,

Winter’s here along with the countdown to the new year. WCC Adult Transitions Pathway program wants to share all the amazing opportunities we have for learners in the coming year. We’re super excited to grow our program with the help of our valued community partners including Ypsilanti Township, WISD, and Washtenaw Literacy. We recently added an ESL Conversational group, Digital Skills lab, GED class for ESL learners, and a new fast-track model in our GED classes. These classes are offered at WCC’s Main Campus and the Ypsilanti Township Community Center in virtual, in-person, and hybrid models.

We are currently registering students in our GED and English as a Second Language Pathway classes that will be starting in January.

Enclosed are flyers with more details about how to register for the winter semester. For additional information call (734) 677-5006 or visit our website.

As we near the end of the semester, and many of our students celebrate significant academic milestones, here’s what a few had to say about their experience with the program.

“I like that it focused on the math. I really liked the teachers- I’ve never had teachers that genuinely cared so much! Everything we studied was on the test, so relevant. I appreciated that my teacher checked in on me and helped me move along the process and a general concern for my personal well-being when I was sick.” (Larkin, GED Grad)

"I can communicate in English at work and at the doctor or pharmacy, or for car repairs." (Emerson, ESL Student)

Thank you for continued support of the students and the program. 
 Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season.