Could anyone help explain Detroit's number street system?

**Sehv313** · November-17-13, 04:11 AM

I've always been confused as to why the # streets skip, How do we go from 35th, skip the 40th streets and end up at 51st? but more importantly why is there only a 51st and 52nd randomly south of Michigan ave and Central in Southwest, Any suggestions? because Davison looks odd driving from Dexter, Linwood then 14th, 12th, then back to Woodrow.

Streets:
1st-6th, 8th, 10th-12th, 14th-25th, 28th-33rd, 35th, 51st-52nd.

**Gannon** · November-17-13, 05:41 AM

Maybe they were superstitious.

**Chicago48** · November-17-13, 04:52 PM

Originally Posted by Sehv313

I've always been confused as to why the # streets skip, How do we go from 35th, skip the 40th streets and end up at 51st? but more importantly why is there only a 51st and 52nd randomly south of Michigan ave and Central in Southwest, Any suggestions? because Davison looks odd driving from Dexter, Linwood then 14th, 12th, then back to Woodrow.

Streets:
1st-6th, 8th, 10th-12th, 14th-25th, 28th-33rd, 35th, 51st-52nd.

Detroit's street numbering and naming is f**cked up, that's it. Period.

**Ray1936** · November-17-13, 06:18 PM

At least the mile roads -- as far as Romeo and beyond -- make some degree of sense!!!!

**DetroitPlanner** · November-18-13, 10:55 AM

It may have something to do with the ribbon farms. Honestly, I never thought it was worth investigation. The numbers run westwardly in a normal fashion now if you would find a 150th street beween second and third avenues, that would be worth investigating!

**Gannon** · November-18-13, 11:01 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

Detroit's street numbering and naming is f**cked up, that's it. Period.

Says the guy from Chicago...where every 800 in the address numbers is a mile. I used to say I was from 240,000 East whenever a Goldcoast client asked where I lived. It usually took a moment for them to calculate.

Cheers!

**Hamtragedy** · November-18-13, 11:34 AM

Probably because half the streets in Detroit south of McNichols [[6 Mile) don't really run east-west, north-south. I still have trouble approaching Gratiot from streets like Gunston, especially if its cloudy and I can't see downtown, and get going the wrong way. Maybe that's because I'm a westsider. But I agree, the addresses, even on the grid on the west side still change and make no sense.

**Danny** · November-18-13, 03:35 PM

Number streets in Detroit's SW barrio hoods are there for those purposes:

1. When Detroit annexed Springwells TWP. in 1909 naming the grid planning streets will take time.

2. Installing number streets will recognize address grids.

Today some number streets in Detroit are long gone. Like 12th Street became Rosa Parks, 7th Street become Brooklyn St. ect...

**Sehv313** · November-19-13, 01:46 AM

I always wondered why # streets were only on the westside and not the east, I was more confused about why it stops at 35th and randomly comes back at 51st, & I rarley hear Detroiters call 12th Street "Rosa Parks", almost everyone who lives on 12th still call it 12th.

**Sehv313** · November-19-13, 01:48 AM

Originally Posted by Hamtragedy

I still have trouble approaching Gratiot from streets like Gunston, especially if its cloudy and I can't see downtown, and get going the wrong way. Maybe that's because I'm a westsider. But I agree, the addresses, even on the grid on the west side still change and make no sense.

and not to mention the One Way streets, Terrible!

**detroitpride313** · November-19-13, 11:36 AM

This may answer part of the question:

"Cass Street was located immediately west of Fort Shelby, and after Cass the streets were named numerically First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, signifying their order west from the fort."

http://archive.is/AM9T