Whats the point of the island on Mound Rd?

[Sehv313]

I've looked at a few pictures from the early 1900's it shows, & Mound Rd. was just as narrow as any other side street, Whats was the original intent of an island, [[im thinking decoration but to me it seems pretty huge). Leading me to unrelated questions as in;

1. What is the background history behind the Krainz Woods neighborhood?
2. Why is Mt. Elliot the only 1 street that runs all the way through the City of Detroit [[North & South)?

• And don't you think Mound Rd. would be a great way for a rail line connecting Detroit to its suburbs? [[Because I can do without making a Michigan U-turn in the summer time, having to look over the high uncut grass to cross.

[PDXwonderboy]

The Davison Freeway was supposed to continue Northeast and shoot up Mound Rd, connecting to I-696 at the current interchange at Mound.

[Gistok]

The Davison Freeway was supposed to continue Northeast and shoot up Mound Rd, connecting to I-696 at the current interchange at Mound.

That's 2/3 of what was planned. The Davison was originally planned to connect to I-94 via McNichols/Conner corridor [[which explains why the Conner/I-94 interchange is so odd), and a the Mound Rd. Fwy [[never built) was supposed to connect from the M-53 Van Dyke Fwy down to about McNichols [[a 3 way interchange). But none of that was ever built... and even the state right of way along Mound Rd. north of 14 Mile [[west side) has been sold for commercial use.

[p69rrh51]

I've looked at a few pictures from the early 1900's it shows, & Mound Rd. was just as narrow as any other side street, Whats was the original intent of an island, [[im thinking decoration but to me it seems pretty huge). Leading me to unrelated questions as in;

1. What is the background history behind the Krainz Woods neighborhood?
2. Why is Mt. Elliot the only 1 street that runs all the way through the City of Detroit [[North & South)?

• And don't you think Mound Rd. would be a great way for a rail line connecting Detroit to its suburbs? [[Because I can do without making a Michigan U-turn in the summer time, having to look over the high uncut grass to cross.

Mt. Elliot is not the only North-South Street. Van Dyke, Woodward. Livernois and Telegraph all run North-South through the city.

[Sehv313]

Mt. Elliot is not the only North-South Street. Van Dyke, Woodward. Livernois and Telegraph all run North-South through the city.

From the Detroit river to 8 mile Mt. Elliot is the only street that runs through the entire city limits, Woodward stops thru h.p. and at campus martius then continues, Telegraph & Livernois dont run through all of city limits to the river & Vandyke does not continue south of Jefferson, Making Mt. Elliot the only street you can ride from 8 mile road south to the river front without taking a single detour

[Scottathew]

From the Detroit river to 8 mile Mt. Elliot is the only street that runs through the entire city limits, Woodward stops thru h.p. and at campus martius then continues, Telegraph & Livernois dont run through all of city limits to the river & Vandyke does not continue south of Jefferson, Making Mt. Elliot the only street you can ride from 8 mile road south to the river front without taking a single detour

Not quite sure I agree...

Woodward starts at the river [[Jefferson) and goes around Campus Martius [[but is still contiguous) and goes all the way up to 8-Mile and beyond. It never stops.

Also, Mt. Elliot is not contiguous. At the rail road tracks [[where Mound begins) it breaks up. If you're going north you have to take Harold to get back to NB Mt. Elliot. If you're going SB you have to take Mt. Elliot Court to Caniff to Mound, then you can continue SB.


But to the original point, that's why the 696\Mound interchange is so huge and wasteful, it was supposed to connect with another freeway.

[poobert]

Not quite sure I agree...

Woodward starts at the river [[Jefferson) and goes around Campus Martius [[but is still contiguous) and goes all the way up to 8-Mile and beyond. It never stops.

Also, Mt. Elliot is not contiguous. At the rail road tracks [[where Mound begins) it breaks up. If you're going north you have to take Harold to get back to NB Mt. Elliot. If you're going SB you have to take Mt. Elliot Court to Caniff to Mound, then you can continue SB.


But to the original point, that's why the 696\Mound interchange is so huge and wasteful, it was supposed to connect with another freeway.

Broadway Auto Parts is pretty solid, if you lose any car parts during your Mount Elliot trans-Detroit journey. Just got me a sideview mirror there.

[Scottathew]

Broadway Auto Parts is pretty solid, if you lose any car parts during your Mount Elliot trans-Detroit journey. Just got me a sideview mirror there.

I drive by there quite a lot. When NB I-75 is slow my alternate is Gratiot -> Mt. Elliot -> Mound -> 48091

[p69rrh51]

From the Detroit river to 8 mile Mt. Elliot is the only street that runs through the entire city limits, Woodward stops thru h.p. and at campus martius then continues, Telegraph & Livernois dont run through all of city limits to the river & Vandyke does not continue south of Jefferson, Making Mt. Elliot the only street you can ride from 8 mile road south to the river front without taking a single detour

If you are being picky Mt. Elliot does not go through from the river without being interrupted. There is the break where the street splits at Conant and takes a 30 degree ish turn. Using your Woodward analogy the split would be in the same league as the zig-zag downtown. Livernois runs from Fort Wayne to the burbs from the closest point to the river possible in that area. Same for Van Dyke the street starts at the southern most point without driving in a building in that part of the city nearest to the river. As for Telegraph its geographic location would not take the street anywhere near the river, but then none of the other surface streets will take you to Lake Erie if you are looking for water so yes they all qualify!

[Brian1979]

From the Detroit river to 8 mile Mt. Elliot is the only street that runs through the entire city limits, Woodward stops thru h.p. and at campus martius then continues, Telegraph & Livernois dont run through all of city limits to the river & Vandyke does not continue south of Jefferson, Making Mt. Elliot the only street you can ride from 8 mile road south to the river front without taking a single detour

What do you mean Woodward stops through Highland Park? It goes right through Highland Park and it doesn't stop at Campus Martius either it goes around it on both sides. Woodward goes from Jefferson to 8 Mile in the city of Detroit except for the part where it goes through Highland Park. It's most certainly a street that goes through the entire city. Telegraph is the border on the westside for the most part and doesn't travel through much of the city, Livernois goes from 8 Mile to Jefferson, what's it suppose to do after Jefferson? The river is there as is Fort Wayne. The streets mentioned do go through the entire city.

[mikeg19]

A professor in college told me that part of MDOT's long term plan was to expand the M59 freeway all the way to 94 eventually. So you'd essentially have a 3 lane service drive on each side of a sunken highway. Seems plausible with the size of the median going to Hall road, but I don't think I've ever seen this in a long term plan. Anyone else ever hear that anywhere?

[Honky Tonk]

Whats the point of the island on Mound Rd?

It gives the Warren cop under 696 overpass somewhere to hide.

[mikefmich]

A professor in college told me that part of MDOT's long term plan was to expand the M59 freeway all the way to 94 eventually. So you'd essentially have a 3 lane service drive on each side of a sunken highway. Seems plausible with the size of the median going to Hall road, but I don't think I've ever seen this in a long term plan. Anyone else ever hear that anywhere?

Yup, that crossed my ears also.

[Mikeg]

A professor in college told me that part of MDOT's long term plan was to expand the M59 freeway all the way to 94 eventually. So you'd essentially have a 3 lane service drive on each side of a sunken highway. Seems plausible with the size of the median going to Hall road, but I don't think I've ever seen this in a long term plan. Anyone else ever hear that anywhere?

Yes, that was the original plan, but the City of Utica under the leadership of Mayor Fred Beck during the years 1961 through 1986 successfully defeated that plan. To continue the sunken M-59 highway eastward from the Utica Rd. overpass would have required the acquisition of a 400 foot wide right-of-way that would have wiped out all of the downtown businesses along the south side of Auburn Rd. as well as those on the south side of Hall Rd, east of Van Dyke. Not so co-incidentally, the Mayor's insurance business was located in a building he owned on the south side of Hall Rd. east of Van Dyke that would have been cut in half by the ROW acquisition.

The red lines superimposed on this aerial view of M-59 indicate the approximate location of the 400 ft. wide ROW that would have been needed to continue the M-59 freeway to the east through the City of Utica.

[mikefmich]

Many years ago to my understanding Mound Rd was considered to be made into an expressway, hence the size of land accumulated.

As to Mt. Eliot being the only N-S Rd., silly. You're splitting some very fine hairs.
Some of the other roads mentioned did go south of Jefferson at one time, such as Woodward.
But you're nit picking about 2-3 blocks, when the roadway is miles and miles long across the city? Whatever floats your boat.

[eastland]

Many years ago to my understanding Mound Rd was considered to be made into an expressway, hence the size of land accumulated.

As to Mt. Eliot being the only N-S Rd., silly. You're splitting some very fine hairs.
Some of the other roads mentioned did go south of Jefferson at one time, such as Woodward.
But you're nit picking about 2-3 blocks, when the roadway is miles and miles long across the city? Whatever floats your boat.

A
A case could be made for Beaconsfield too!

[Shollin]

I'm quite certain the areas of Mound in Detroit are about the last place Detroit is going to focus on. Where would a rail line down Mound take you? To the prison?