Dream Image of Detroit

**xrockerboy** · June-09-13, 09:56 PM

What is your dream image of Detroit?

**Chicago48** · June-10-13, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by xrockerboy

What is your dream image of Detroit?

When I lived in Detroit and now when I come to the city and drive around, I get lost. I don't get lost in Chicago because....all the streets run straight east/west/south/north and they are numbered. [[1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th, 12th, 34th, etc.) The first "dream" would be to re-engineer, rename and renumber the streets and there would be no curving streets like Grand Blvd and no cut offs, detours and streets interrupted by freeways.

**gazhekwe** · June-10-13, 08:27 AM

Spread the good out the main arteries, Woodward, Grand River, Michigan, Jefferson, Gratiot. I would like to see all their major intersections as vibrant as they once were, with street level shops, cafes and gathering spots, connected by pedestrian and bike friendly routes. How about a Grand Tour Route following the Boulevard? To attract people and revitalize the neighborhoods, one must draw new residents and keep old ones, maybe with creative support for neighborhoods, like block clubs, neighborhood watch, citizen patrols, carefully trained and monitored. Training modules and participation incentives will help keep things fresh and interesting for neighbors. Supportive enforcement for reporting of blight, suspicious activity and crime.

**sumas** · June-10-13, 08:59 AM

I do live in a vibrant and engaged community. We certainly have our share of "unique" characters that are tolerated because they have family up and down the street.

I detest Engler for eliminating mental health services back in the day.

The crazy brawl at 3am up and down the street woke many people. No gun play, thank god!

My vision is community centers that are fully funded. Parks that are inviting and clean. Street lights that work and police that respond.

As a resident in an aging and largely an impoverished community both with citizens and housing stock [[on average our houses are 100 plus yrs. old) I'd like to see respect from the city and certainly more support to shore up historic communities that aren't rich.

My list could go for days. As residential areas we rely on civic groups, non profits, churches and each other for stemming decay. So much hope and energy but it would be nice if the city remembered something exists outside of downtown.

**sumas** · June-10-13, 09:09 AM

Forgot to mention grants. Usually grants we get awarded have to do with projects with our kids. Waiting to hear if our latest grant request from the Knight foundation gets approved. We win some, we lose some.

Many cool things are in the works, I am Detroit born and bred but when it comes to neighborhoods the city sure does ignore us.

I have gone with large groups to Clownsil and they couldn't care less about constituent concerns. So angering and depressing too.

**Honky Tonk** · June-10-13, 09:10 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

When I lived in Detroit and now when I come to the city and drive around, I get lost. I don't get lost in Chicago because....all the streets run straight east/west/south/north and they are numbered. [[1st, 2nd, 8th, 9th, 12th, 34th, etc.) The first "dream" would be to re-engineer, rename and renumber the streets and there would be no curving streets like Grand Blvd and no cut offs, detours and streets interrupted by freeways.

Detroit, like any other metropolis takes time to get used to. The worst I've ever been was Washington D.C., a few years back, they don't seem to like street signs. Being totally lost, [[before GPS), we listened out the car window for planes taking off, to find our way back to the airport.

**1953** · June-10-13, 01:03 PM

8 to 10 million residents; many corporate headquarters; diverse economic clusters; globally competitive city. Crushing New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

**401don** · June-10-13, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by 1953

8 to 10 million residents; many corporate headquarters; diverse economic clusters; globally competitive city. Crushing New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

....and working streetlights.

**jjw** · June-10-13, 01:42 PM

safe streets, eco-friendly, less dependent on the automobile, clustered centers, less negativity

**Chinman** · June-10-13, 03:59 PM

Detroit's design is Great. just Learn it and it is very efficient. it is based on Washington d.c. design by Pierre Charles L’Enfant.
I lived in South Florida for years and they based their design on the east coast of a grid system. in that system...to go to the north-west...I could to only travel north then west. with the the wheel spoke system that we have and D.C. has..you get to go directly in that direction.

**1953** · June-11-13, 09:30 AM

Chinman, a straight line is surely the shortest distance between two places. However, there are some challenges with the hub and spoke street plan we have in Detroit.

Among these challenges are the way that our diagonal streets were developed. These streets grew out fast and were widened to accommodate traffic, then they were made largely irrelevant by addition of the freeways.

Also, these streets create many small lots and angled properties that are not especially useful for creating productive land use. With these challenges in mind, I think many in Detroit would prefer the challenges of a robust, north-south/east-west street grid.

1953