Quote Originally Posted by Detroitnerd View Post
I think the poster is thinking of Rochester Hills, and may not know the history of small towns around Detroit. Then again, most of us who drive through the area are more familiar with the exurban parts of Rochester/Rochester Hills, and I do think the exurban parts are going to have some major challenges, although I think the little village part will do OK. Rochester Hills, I believe, has the highest percentage of families with children, and has had for about 10 years now. So, in the next 5-10 years, we're going to see a lot of families aging out of those big homes, gas prices rising again, heating costs and commensurate hikes in association fees. I think those homes aren't going to sell as well by then, given the generational shift in taste.

Anyway, about that steepness! That was a very difficult engineering feat to run that streetcar into Rochester, over the south hill. The Detroit United Railway had to build a 700-foot trestle for its trolley cars, with concrete footings, and the span remained up until the 1930s!
As you drive over the Clinton River Bridge at the bottom of south hill, look to the east. You can still see the interurban embankment [[with mature tree growing out of it).