Zug Island and Springwells

[Fulcanelli]

I was looking at a Google satellite map of Zug Island and noticed that Springwells runs south of Jefferson and curves around and dead ends right at the bridge to Zug Island.

Is that a restricted area? Can I expect to be stopped if I drive down there and look at Zug from the dead end area?

[Guideboat]

No, you can drive down there. It is the road to the truck ferry. I seem to recall all sorts of warning signs about not taking photographs posted at the end, but it is a public street all the way to the end. There was a thread about photography and somebody said they were hassled by the Border Patrol or the like. I say go. It is a cool view of the Zug Island works.

[Honky Tonk]

You can get up to the island entrance before the signs start. It's an interesting ride. I wanted to see where the new bridge was coming in. I don't think you actually can get across onto Zug without ID, but I can't remember for sure. I would go on a Sunday, less activity.

[BillyBBrew]

Any photos taken from Springwells Court are fair game, no matter how much anyone tries to intimidate you. If you are off of the paved street, you are in private property. If you go to the end of the street and cross the tracks or go beyond the gate, you're on private property. As long as you remain on Springwells Court, you may click 'til your heart's content. If USS Security tries to hassle you, just glare at them and ignore them and remind them you are on public property. They like to be authorative where they have no business being so. They do the same thing from public grade crossings with Hot Metal Trains.

[DetroitPlanner]

I ma not sure which road this is, though I do have a suspicion. All public roadways in the state are governed by a law known as Act 51. All federal-air roads are governed by the National Functional Class. This map shows all the Act 51 roads by classification. My best guess is that you are talking about the road put in to service the concrete plants that moved from the East Riverfront, though I could be all wet. Once the bridge starts to get built, they may be able to restrict access, but that won't be for years.

http://mdotcf.state.mi.us/public/map...FC12_WAYNE.pdf

[Lowell]

Ah, the two great alluring meccas of Detroit curiosity - the interior of Zug Island and the salt mines.

[Chinman]

you can get off I-94 at Springwell's and go east to Jefferson and then south on Coolidge. you will end up at the entrance of PraxAir and Great Lakes Steel. Of course you will not be allowed access because they are Private Companies. I worked there for 3 weeks on Transformers 4... the security sucked each day.

[Chinman]

that is where they store the Boblo Boats.

[Danny]

Zug Island wasn't an island years ago. It was man made. in the early 1900s. Plans for a coke mine was surfaced in Del-Rey. So workers dig a small canal connecting Rouge River to Detroit River thus Zug Island was born.

[DetroitPlanner]

Zug Island wasn't an island years ago. It was man made. in the early 1900s. Plans for a coke mine was surfaced in Del-Rey. So workers dig a small canal connecting Rouge River to Detroit River thus Zug Island was born.

Coke isn't mined, its made. You sure that the Ford Freighters needing access to steel mills and stock yards had nothing to do with it?

[Detroitnerd]

Coke isn't mined, its made. You sure that the Ford Freighters needing access to steel mills and stock yards had nothing to do with it?

I'm a little foggy on this, but I'm pretty sure Zug was carved off into an island before 1910. And how did it get that lovely moniker? I believe it was originally owned by a man with the surname Zug.

[Guideboat]

Chinman, Boblo boats are further south at Nicholson Marine in River Rouge.

[Chinman]

sorry for the mis-information. you are correct. it was three [[3) weeks of my life that I want back. lol
Schaefer exit turns into Coolidge and then south onto Jefferson and then Great Lakes St. to the Nickleson ShipYard. 1 of the Boblo Boat's was partially blown up for the movie.

[EastsideAl]

I'm a little foggy on this, but I'm pretty sure Zug was carved off into an island before 1910. And how did it get that lovely moniker? I believe it was originally owned by a man with the surname Zug.

The Short Cut canal that created Zug Island was opened in 1888. It was widened in 1922-23 to accommodate ship traffic to the new Ford Rouge plant.

[Danny]

coke isn't mined, its made. You sure that the ford freighters needing access to steel mills and stock yards had nothing to do with it?

There's a mine there that produce sulfur coals into to coke.

[DetroitPlanner]

The Short Cut canal that created Zug Island was opened in 1888. It was widened in 1922-23 to accommodate ship traffic to the new Ford Rouge plant.

Yep, I could imagine before the Rouge was put in, there would be little use for anything larger than a fishing boat.

[DetroitPlanner]

There's a mine there that produce sulfur coals into to coke.

We don't have coal. That is not geologically possible.