Dead End Streets

[313rd]

I'm curious as to why some major streets come to a dead end and/or do not continue thru as is. I understand the affect of when a large industrial facility took over a swath land; i.e Chrysler Plant on the Eastside where all roads heading east out of downtown end at St. Jean.

The one that i'm most curious about is Northbound Russel at Canfield St. Why doesn't Russel connect with Canfield?Attachment 35529

Or why does E. Forest dead end at Cadillac, and not continue to St. Jean?

[dtowncitylover]

If it isn't already connected, I heard the city was doing a study on reconnecting Russell to Canfield.

[Király]

Blockages like this are often built as traffic calming devices when residential developments are built alongside them. Keep thru traffic on Chrysler Service Drive instead of having it go along Russell.

[EastsideAl]

Blockages like this are often built as traffic calming devices when residential developments are built alongside them. Keep thru traffic on Chrysler Service Drive instead of having it go along Russell.

Precisely. Russell was removed for a block in there to make it no longer a through street, and thus safer and quieter for the seniors in those nearby housing developments and folks going to the church. Before that cars would fly through there, and some people were literally using it as a drag strip late at night.

[EastsideAl]

why does E. Forest dead end at Cadillac, and not continue to St. Jean?

As far as I know, Forest has always ended at Cadillac. It's just the way the subdivisions were laid out way back when. If you look at it on a map you'll see that the neighborhoods east of Cadillac [[which was intended to be a major north-south route) have longer blocks with fewer east-west cross streets. Part of that area was once the village of St. Clair Heights, so there were already pre-existing lots and houses there when the cross streets were cut through.

[Gsgeorge]

Detroit has way too many of these dead-ended through streets and modifications to its street grid. It does nothing but hamper mobility, traffic, and create dead zones like the Russel cul-de-sac. This is a vestige of 1960s-1990s street planning when there were attempts made to reduce traffic flow through residential areas by removing streets all together. These days, roads are modified by adding bike lanes, larger sidewalks, different lane markings, or improved signage to control traffic. I look forward to when the city reopens some of its shortsightedly closed streets.

[swingline]

Precisely. Russell was removed for a block in there to make it no longer a through street, and thus safer and quieter for the seniors in those nearby housing developments and folks going to the church. Before that cars would fly through there, and some people were literally using it as a drag strip late at night.

About 10 years ago, innocent motorist traveling on Dequindre which is the next block east of Russell was killed by drag racers. One guy crashed into motorist's car. He got convicted or plead to a homicide charge. Can't remember, but I think that law enforcement never found the other racer.

[EastsideAl]

About 10 years ago, innocent motorist traveling on Dequindre which is the next block east of Russell was killed by drag racers. One guy crashed into motorist's car. He got convicted or plead to a homicide charge. Can't remember, but I think that law enforcement never found the other racer.

That whole area has long been a draw for street racing, due to its long straight streets, lack of cross-streets and lights, and sparse population. I remember back in the late '80s there was also an incident on the Chrysler service drive in which an off-duty DPD officer, who was involved in the racing, got into a gun fight with some people whose parked car was blocking the course and was killed.

An old friend of mine, now long dead, was involved with Sweetest Heart of Mary church there on Russell, and he and other folks who went to the church [[mostly very elderly Polish seniors) were always trying to get the city to do something to slow cars down through there and halt the racing activity. Closing off the street entirely was the final answer.

[313rd]

Thanks for all the above information regarding the initial inquiry.

How about the I75 Service Drive along the South Bound Lanes, just North of Ford Field at Beaubien and Winder. There is berm that shuts the road down. Now I see people drive over that berm all the time.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3429...7i13312!8i6656

[mtburb]

I occasionally may go out on a Sunday drive up to North Rosedale Park and these always involve me heading down Stahelin. Somehow, this is the one street that Grove Street between Southfield and Evergreen does not intersect, as it just stops at the alleys on either side of Stahelin.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.4134762,-83.2265053,18z

[Meddle]

^^ There are several like that on the far west side.

Curtis between Fenton and Winston

Florence between Salem and Five Points

But OP is talking about major streets.

[ASilvaman]

Forest street even if continued across Garland and Bewick would not go anywhere, it would continue to cross two more streets and end at Brewer Park.
What is the story behind Brewer Park? It's obvious something once stood there.

[MikeM]

What is the story behind Brewer Park? It's obvious something once stood there.

Brewer Recreation Center

[EastsideAl]

Thanks for all the above information regarding the initial inquiry.

How about the I75 Service Drive along the South Bound Lanes, just North of Ford Field at Beaubien and Winder. There is berm that shuts the road down. Now I see people drive over that berm all the time.

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.3429...7i13312!8i6656

That's just weird. Looks like someone forgot to finish the street.

[mtburb]

How about that one-block gap of West Jefferson between Clark and Scotten? Certainly does prevent a fully direct non-freeway driving route from Cobo to Monroe.

[EastsideAl]

How about that one-block gap of West Jefferson between Clark and Scotten? Certainly does prevent a fully direct non-freeway driving route from Cobo to Monroe.

That segment of W. Jefferson was originally closed I believe to provide more secured parking for the Bob-Lo boats when the boat dock was moved down there from the west side of downtown in the 1980s. Later it was incorporated into the expansion of the Port of Detroit in the late '90s, although the envisioned luxury cruise ship terminal never came to fruition.

[Meddle]

That's just weird. Looks like someone forgot to finish the street.

Both sides of the Southfield Service Drive do that at W. Chicago, but it's because of the railroad I guess.