Toni Griffin says the Detroit area needs to rethink transportation

[iheartthed]

Gas was cheap, buses provided more flexibility, people did not fight the loss of streetcars.

From what I read, streetcars were eliminated under the guise of construction improvements... Once the construction was done the city decided not to bring the streetcars back.

[DetroitPlanner]

From what I read, streetcars were eliminated under the guise of construction improvements... Once the construction was done the city decided not to bring the streetcars back.

Can you cite this? I have never heard that arguement I am interested in learning more.

[Detroitnerd]

Can you cite this? I have never heard that arguement I am interested in learning more.

I think I vaguely recall something like that. Detroit's Department of Street Railways was public, so NCL couldn't buy them out, but DSR's management was determined to end rail service, and did some sneaky things. At least two lines were switched to buses during a strike -- sneaky indeed. And in informal newspaper polls, Detroiters said they wanted the streetcars to remain.

Avoid simplistic conclusions that modes disappear because they are outmoded; they are often disrupted by other forces.

[iheartthed]

Can you cite this? I have never heard that arguement I am interested in learning more.

Meanwhile, the demand for public transportation along Grand River during that time was still high, with close to 100,000
riders utilizing the service daily. On October 15, 1945, the DSR began offering express bus service along Grand River to
supplement the streetcar service. Three separate express runs—beginning at Seven Mile Road, at Archdale [[Southfield),
and at Ardmore [[Schoolcraft)—began operating during the peak hours, while an "off-peak hour" express service began
operating days, evenings and on Saturdays. The off-peak hour express buses operated in local service [[boarding only)
from Seven Mile to Oakman Blvd. Beginning at Oakman Blvd., all of the Grand River Express buses operated express
into downtown—stopping only at W. Grand Blvd.

However, in late 1946, city and state officials announced plans to repave the entire stretch of Grand River Avenue. As a
result, the city wanted the safety islands removed in order to open an additional traffic lane in each direction. Of course,
the removal of these safety islands would obviously require the removal of the streetcars and replacing them with motor
buses.

...

Beginning Monday, May 5, 1947, 98 motor coaches [[including
local and express buses) replaced the 50 Peter Witt streetcars
on Grand River. However, on that very same day, and without
Council's approval, Mayor Edward J. Jeffries, Jr. ordered the
city's Department of Public Works to pave over the street-
car tracks along Grand River, between Trumbull and Joy Road.
The Mayor cited the extensive rail and pavement deterioration
along that stretch of right-of-way as the reason for his decision.

With streetcars no longer operating along Grand River, the two
center lanes were now open for vehicular traffic.

http://www.detroittransithistory.inf...verAvenue.html