Vol. 2-2020
We are
PVM Strong!
#PVMStrong
– A heartfelt thank you to our staff, volunteers, and donors –
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Outlook
Innovation in Mobility PVM is positioning itself for the future along with helping communities and society to do the same. An exciting opportunity occurred for The Village of Brush Park Paradise Valley residents recently. And its scope goes far beyond PVM. The residents had a chance to try out a Detroit first, an autonomous, accessible, paratransit shuttle. This demonstration was a part of an overall pilot service deploying paratransit shuttles to transport seniors and the underserved to and from appointments and other needs at a local hospital. The deployment – a partnership between Navya, NextEnergy, Bestmile, Flagstar Bank, IXR Mobility, and AARP, as well as DTE, and Michigan’s Office of Future Mobility and electrification PlanetM – aims to enhance accessibility for residents of two communities – Brush Park Manor and Brewster Homes, through the use of a self-driving shuttle featuring and ADA compliant wheelchair ramp manufactured by BraunAbility. With these integrations, the service expects to solve the problem many residents of each community face attempting to secure reliable transportation to and from doctor’s appointments and other essential, critical or emergency needs.
The Navya bus leaving from The Village of Brush Park
“Brush Park Manor applauds the opportunity to participate in such an innovative service for our seniors. With transportation being one of the most difficult challenges for seniors, this service will ensure they have the expediency, efficiency and safety to access reliable transportation,” said E. Kern Tomlin, the Chairman of Brush Park Manor Board of Directors. Starting mid-July 2020, a Navya Autonomous Shuttle commenced operating along a pre-programmed 1.31 mile route, with an Continued on page 3
Walkable Communities are on the Way Another important aspect of mobility is access to amenities and walkable communities. Recently the Bay County Road Commission activated a HAWK, (High Intensity Activated Cross Walk) beacon right near the Village of Hampton Meadows. This is the first installation of its kind in Bay County. The HAWK is used stop vehicular traffic and allow pedestrians to walk safely across a roadway at a location other than a road intersection. When activated by a pedestrian, the HAWK signal will stop traffic at the mid-block pedestrian crossing allowing the walker(s) to cross safely. Unlike an ordinary three-light traffic signal, the HAWK signal remains dark until activated by a pedestrian. The pedestrian presses the
Residents are extremely pleased with having access to shopping and amenities.
button located on a pedestal next to the sidewalk, one on both sides of the road. This activated the HAWK beacon. Next the sequence begins with a single, flashing yellow light, indicating the pedestrian has pushed the button. This is followed by a steady yellow light, meaning the driver should slow down and be prepared to stop. The yellow light then deactivates and two steady red lights are displayed. Once the red lights come on, vehicles are required to stop until the pedestrian crosses the road. The HAWK will then change to flashing both red signals (similar to a railroad crossing signal) allowing traffic to proceed as long as there are no pedestrians in the crosswalk. The signal then goes dark again until needed. There are also Walk and Wait signals to guide the pedestrians. This welcome addition to traffic safety near the Village of Hampton Meadows will go a long way in accessing nearby amenities and shopping, including Meijer, as well as give a new sense of independence and safer access for residents and other nearby seniors. Many thanks to Hampton Meadows staff, board members and residents who advocated and helped to make this happen.