Ilitch hockey arena plan could include making I-75 a 'tunne;

Chalk this up — for now — into the juicy rumor category: The Ilitches have floated the idea of putting a greenspace-walkway “roof” over I-75 at Woodward Avenue.
Why? If they build their long-proposed hockey arena for their Detroit Red Wings on land they own just north of the highway along Woodward, then having what amounts to a massive pedestrian bridge linking the venue to their properties south of I75 [[the Foxtown area) makes sense.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...over-i-75-near

Note: Sorry, this accidentally posted while I was fixing the headline. It's supposed to be 'tunnel' at the end.

Wouldn't that require banning trucks that carry hazardous and highly flammable materials from using I-75? [[Which I personally think is just common sense, but seems like they would have to jump through a few hoops to get it done.)

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Originally Posted by iheartthed

Wouldn't that require banning trucks that carry hazardous and highly flammable materials from using I-75? [[Which I personally think is just common sense, but seems like they would have to jump through a few hoops to get it done.)

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I could be wrong here... but I think they are already not allowed on that section of I75. I think there are signs to that affect in that area.

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Originally Posted by iheartthed

Wouldn't that require banning trucks that carry hazardous and highly flammable materials from using I-75? [[Which I personally think is just common sense, but seems like they would have to jump through a few hoops to get it done.)

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That's a good question, and I'll try to find out. However, I don't think those things are permitted now in I-75 through the city, but I could be wrong. And I don't know if the sort of "roof" would mean that the stretch in question becomes a tunnel for regulatory purposes.

Of course, this is simply an intriguing idea floated by the Ilitches. I don't believe it's anything official.

That's a great idea. It's something we've been talking about for a while here online. Of course, there's no way Michigan's leaders would actually have the political will to do it for new urbanism or quality of life. Thank goodness for Ilitch. When a project comes up that would subsidize his private entertainment kingdom, Michigan's leaders seem to fall all over themselves to thrust fistfuls of our tax dollars at him.

I really like this idea...in fact I would say this is a fantastic idea. The idea of capping freeways has been discussed at nausea on this board, so I won't go there, but the possibility is exciting. I have always mused that it would be cool if the arena could be built directly adjacent to Hockeytown Cafe, partly over I-75, somewhat how Cobo is built over the Lodge. The arena would really feel part of Foxtown, somewhat like the Verizon Center in Washington, DC [[assuming development occurs some day on the empty lots in front of Comeraica). Too bad this is not the plan….but beggars can’t be choosers.

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Originally Posted by Detroitnerd

That's a great idea. It's something we've been talking about for a while here online. Of course, there's no way Michigan's leaders would actually have the political will to do it for new urbanism or quality of life. Thank goodness for Ilitch. When a project comes up that would subsidize his private entertainment kingdom, Michigan's leaders seem to fall all over themselves to thrust fistfuls of our tax dollars at him.

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Well said, and well balanced!

maybe the Illitches can convince MDOT there are a lot of Jews in the area that need to cross the expressway in peace and quiet?

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Originally Posted by bartock

Well said, and well balanced!

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Can you blame people for feeling this way? It's exactly how our state has been run for ages... And let's be honest, a covered highway downtown would help a lot more people than Ilitch. As long as he doesn't put more parking decks on top of it.

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Originally Posted by j to the jeremy

Can you blame people for feeling this way? It's exactly how our state has been run for ages... And let's be honest, a covered highway downtown would help a lot more people than Ilitch. As long as he doesn't put more parking decks on top of it.

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Well, Ilitch hasn't exactly been a "team player" when it comes to development, preferring everything to be integrated in such a way to benefit his organization ONLY, if possible. Just leads me to think that, if there's a way he can do it so it benefits him while hurting others, he'd find a way to make that happen ... publicly funded or not. But knowing his track record, preferably with our money.

I think it is a great idea. Freeways are partially suspect for the collapse of the city, allowing people to come and go much quicker, and they just seem to cut right through neighborhoods and break it up. This will help to bring Downtown and Midtown back together.

I still want the ilitches to re-bid for the Pistons.. heh..

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Originally Posted by j to the jeremy

Can you blame people for feeling this way? It's exactly how our state has been run for ages... And let's be honest, a covered highway downtown would help a lot more people than Ilitch. As long as he doesn't put more parking decks on top of it.

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I meant it the way I put it...and NO!!...I don't blame people for feeling this way. It would seem a win-win; I totally agree with this being the way state has been run, that the Illitches [[slightly cynical here) always seem to come out way ahead on their "civic projects" [[but at least can get them done), and ultimately the general benefit of such an idea.

i agree with the premise of capping freeways and creating greenspace, but exactly who would take ownership of this space? this kind of space would quickly be overrun with the homelss...comfortable benches, drinking fountains, public restrooms, landscaping elements, close proximity to on-ramps, access to suburbanites/tourists - all of these elements breed the gathering of those less fortunate...while unfortunate, it must be dealt with or you'll create another rosa parks bus station-type situation.

if implemented successfully the space needs to be designed with a focus on CPTED, see Strategies for the built environment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPTED

I need to stop assuming everyone's always sarcastic on here haha

Detroit could learn from Columbus, Ohio. They built a freeway cap where their main road crosses a freeway, and lined it with buildings and shops. The result is a continuous streetwall and lots of pedestrian activity. I could see this working great elsewhere in Detroit, like where Woodward crosses I-94.

http://richmondva.files.wordpress.co...lumbus_cap.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2050/...96788d24f1.jpg

Check out the Before image:

http://sites.google.com/site/freeway...highbefore.jpg

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Originally Posted by Gsgeorge

Detroit could learn from Columbus, Ohio. They built a freeway cap where their main road crosses a freeway, and lined it with buildings and shops. The result is a continuous streetwall and lots of pedestrian activity. I could see this working great elsewhere in Detroit, like where Woodward crosses I-94.

http://richmondva.files.wordpress.co...lumbus_cap.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2050/...96788d24f1.jpg

Check out the Before image:

http://sites.google.com/site/freeway...highbefore.jpg

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this is what i was kind of hinting to in my post...though lining a bridge with retail/resturants isn't practical if its only access is pedestrian.

this space needs to have the energy/amenities like campus martius [[skating rink, fountain, statues, performances), however downtown can't support multiple interventions of similar amenities...the space needs to become an attraction itself [[example: the highline, nyc) and it must certainly connect to other pedestrain/transit routes

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Originally Posted by hybridy

this is what i was kind of hinting to in my post...though lining a bridge with retail/resturants isn't practical if its only access is pedestrian.

this space needs to have the energy/amenities like campus martius [[skating rink, fountain, statues, performances), however downtown can't support multiple interventions of similar amenities...the space needs to become an attraction itself [[example: the highline, nyc) and it must certainly connect to other pedestrain/transit routes

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Not sure why you think it has to have anything but grass and/or some walkways.

I mean, I could dream up a few things that would make it look more attractive, but this cap would be placed at the center of an existing roadway [[the Fisher Fwy service drive). It could just be a green space and the area would be much, much more habitable.

That said, using the Columbus gap as inspiration, it would be nice if they could create a pedestrian street at the center of the cap and line it with shops, similar to this: http://practicalenrichment.files.wor...in-quarter.jpg

It would be a great use of space. It could be Detroit's Soho.

@iheartthed...thats exactly what im not saying. if the cap is just grass no one has ownership of the thing so it becomes overrun with bums. you can't just put shops over a freeway and think people are going to walk over there...it would have to fill in the natural continuity of an existing block, but no where in se michigan does there exist the foot traffic to justify such an environment anyway. so we need to get beyond the obvious solutions and propose a hybrid solution that mixes puplic amenities, with daily users, and 24-hour surveillance, but not the camera kind. you'll understand my point more if u read the link in my initial post.

Rather than trying to build environments in which nobody can hang out -- so that bums won't hang out -- it seems better to develop a police force that deals with people when they're nuisances...

Find a way to connect it to the Cut too.

if they are planning on capping it why not extend park avenue across the freeway?

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Originally Posted by hybridy

@iheartthed...thats exactly what im not saying. if the cap is just grass no one has ownership of the thing so it becomes overrun with bums. you can't just put shops over a freeway and think people are going to walk over there...it would have to fill in the natural continuity of an existing block, but no where in se michigan does there exist the foot traffic to justify such an environment anyway. so we need to get beyond the obvious solutions and propose a hybrid solution that mixes puplic amenities, with daily users, and 24-hour surveillance, but not the camera kind. you'll understand my point more if u read the link in my initial post.

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But even if it's just grass and a cap, it would be in the middle of an active roadway so I'm not sure why bums will be anymore attracted to it than standing on the publicly owned sidewalks, or ample gravel parking lots that are deserted on non sporting event days. If they truly want to go the cheap route all they would have to do is put up a garden gate around the grass to discourage people from entering. This is what New York has done with the median of Broadway on the Upper West Side of Manhattan [[http://www.biking-in-manhattan.com/u...w-mall9596.jpg). Broadway runs directly over the Broadway subway line, so this cap is probably similar in construction to what a potential Fisher Fwy cap will ultimately be.

Let's cap all of the freeways around the CBD and make the surface into bike paths!

Here's a plan I drew up about a year ago:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2778/...3c6297da_o.png

I kind of like the idea of putting shops or something directly on Woodward. They could even have backsides that face the park. Maybe retail on Woodward and restaurants/cafes on the park.