MDOT reduces lanes on I-375 boulevard plans after community feedback

[expatriate]

Why couldn't an underground parking lot be constructed below the proposed boulevard? The 375 hole needn't be completely filled in. With plans to deck freeway portions near Little Caesars I can't imagine this would be a huge engineering problem

[expatriate]

Detroit, a city of once 2 million has devolved into a small town of of 600K. While the cities of Europe were completely devastated after WWII they managed to rebuild vibrant places while ours continued the downward spiral. A visit to any of the world's great cities, even the small ones, makes it easy to see that it is we who live in the third world when it comes to urban planning.

[royce]

Expatriate, the MDOT rep told me that it would be too expensive. I guess maybe for MDOT, but Dan Gilbert will have the "fail-jail" property facing the boulevard. Maybe they can convince him to build some underground parking. Also, it would appear to me, and I'm sure to many of you, that building an underground parking structure would save money in the long run because you won't have to fill in the freeway hole with tons of dirt, and the revenue from parking fees would eventually help pay for the structure. Hey, what do I know?

[expatriate]

I sure you are right regarding MDOT's opinion as building a garage might be constrained by the existing budget allotments, but they could I think reasonably leave a cavity for the city or a developer to do it. But if they can cover a freeway with a park this would seem to be easy. BTW I think it unnecessary as we have way too much parking already, but that's just me.

[royce]

A view of the Midway Plaisance in Chicago.

[royce]

A view of the Midway Plaisance in Chicago. It is a part of the campus of the University of Chicago. It begins at Cottage Grove Avenue and goes a mile to the east. Also, it is 220 yards wide. I'm including the image here so that we all can get a sense of what the new boulevard could look like. The center of the Midway Plaisance is a wide grassy area that can be used for soccer/football fields and in one section it has a hockey/ice skating rink. Of course I like the street parking.

[Jimaz]

A view of the Midway Plaisance in Chicago....

Here's an interactive Street View of that intersection so folks can see it from all angles and wander about.

[royce]

Here's an interactive Street View of that intersection so folks can see it from all angles and wander about.

Jimaz, thanks for the link.

[Jimaz]

Jimaz, thanks for the link.

You're most welcome, royce. Don't mention it. My first thought was "I'm glad I don't have to cut all that grass."

But if you zoom out it shows it's a very impressive feature connecting parks to the west and east. Nice.