Duty Free with Bridges to Nowhere

[mkhopper]

I'm surprised you were even able to take these pictures of the road structures that close to the bridge without being questioned by someone. Given security these days [[or lack thereof apparently)...

[Bearinabox]

I'm surprised you were even able to take these pictures of the road structures that close to the bridge without being questioned by someone. Given security these days [[or lack thereof apparently)...

Doug must've been sleeping on the job.

[MSUguy]

What would this land have been used for otherwise? The city should be giving land away to anyone who is willing to build on it. If they want to force Maroun to tear down a building, I would suggest the MCS.

How about the truck ramps, he was supposed to build, to keep them off city streets which is one of the main reasons why this project was done.

[Rocko]

Great photo montage Lowell, thanks for sharing. I've never been in Matty's bastion of Duty-Free myself, but that's because when I chose to go to Canada, I donate my money to the Detroit and Windsor governments via the tunnel. The scenery isn't as nice......but now looking at your photos, is it?

And by the way, am I not mistaken when I say that THAT is the very gas station and duty free store which was built on city property over 24th and 23rd Streets without permission, essentially a land grab with no permission to construct over a public right of way? I thought a judge ordered that that property be restored, the gas station/duty free be vacated and demolished, and that Matty stop occupying lanes of Fort Street with his truck exit lanes?

[fastcarsandfreedom]

Detroiters For Progress?

Has anyone else caught these "Stop DRIC" radio ads? Voice over of someone speaking in an urban dialect comparing DRIC to Black Bottom and Poletown...talking about "broken promises" and bemoaning the relocation of people and businesses in Delray.

So much hazy insinuation and subterfuge that it has the be the DIBC behind "Detroiters For Progress"...correct me if I'm wrong...

[Wheels]

http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/dpp/news...-open-20120515

In your face Matty.

[wstevens]

The duty free and gas bar are only used by Canadians on the way home. We are too afraid to stop at a gas bar in detroit never mind the party stores. It's a real shame about the bridge because of the loss of tourism in detroit. I hear Canadians say all the time that they don't go to detroit just for fear of getting lost around the bridge at night..

[Wesley Mouch]

Update on status of demolition of the duty-free, pls?

[SWMAP]

wstevens: I live, as you can guess, in Southwest Detroit, practically under the Ambassador Bridge. I often see Canadian families and couples shopping in Ryan's Market and eating in local restaurants. I can tell by the license plates and also because many of the shoppers are from the Amish or Mennonite communities near Leamington. They are the plain dressers. Anyway, I don't think everyone is scared. And, as to buying from the Duty-free station - apart from safety, it IS the last place that you can pay U.S. prices for fuel and then duty-free on top of that. Even if it were scary on the Bridge plaza, i bet that the Canadians would still fill up there.

For myself, I don't buy it there when traveling to Canada because that just adds to Matty's war chest.

[Sandhouse]

When I went by a couple weeks ago, the gas and Diesel pumps were in full operation. Not sure about the retail store; it might have been dark.

The bridge company has been trying to plant the story that MDOT will somehow choke off access to the truck stop when it finishes the outbound ramp, but I suspect this is unlikely as the duty-free store is probably covered by agreements that give it access. I remain mildly amazed that the tax-free fuel sales continue, despite the lack of means to prevent the untaxed fuel from being re-imported, which it obviously is.

I, too, am eager for any up-to-date news on the duty-free fuel operation.

[cpanagio]

Good thing the gas pumps are there because by the time you go through the maze from I-75 to actually get onto the bridge, you'll burn through half a tank.

This scumbag knows his time is almost over because he just raised the toll to $4.75 [[US/Can) per trip. He's trying to milk the cow for everything he can get.