I would tend to agree that the Mound location that is always being floated as home to Wayne County's new criminal justice complex leaves a lot to be desired.

First and foremost is its remoteness from convenient transportation routes, both public and private.

Wayne County needs new court facilities just as much as new jail facilities, but given the new era of video arraignments and appearances, I don't think the courthouse and jail have to be so close to each other. Why not build a new courthouse downtown that stays close to other existing courthouses and the existing law firm base and just move the jail elsewhere?

Or if a unified criminal justice complex is still the preferred ideal, why not something close to where I-96 and Southfield intersect? This area is very well served by both freeways and bus routes and is closer to the majority of Wayne County's population in the western suburbs. And there is a lot of unused industrial property that can be re-purposed.

What say you?