Detroit is credit with pave the way for modern - day streets : the first patch of concrete main road go down in 1909 on Woodward between 6 and 7 Mile . Since then , MDOT brags , they ’ve paved enough road in Michigan to build a one - lane route from the Earth to the moon .
Not that we ’re whole thankless for placid , bright mineral pitch ( or even sleep with what that feels like , to be honest ) , but we ’ll wait forElonto sort out space traveling before we take a Michigan - built highway to outer blank space , thanks .
It ’s vindicated that our dear metropolis planners induce a trivial carried away with the pavement gyration : the surface parking scores only utilize by Tigers fans ’ on Opening Day , the highways cut direct through otherwise tranquil and lovely neighborhoods … I mean , we ’re no radical urban planners here at Thrillist , but even we could think of some better use cases for these street as our desire forother forms of transportationonly grows , albeit tardily .
Ali Lapetina for Downtown Detroit Partnership
Sure , ply bleary - eyed at 8 am across five lanes of Michigan Avenue traffic , parry exposed train rails and potholes to get a morning loving cup of coffee at Astro is a decent enough physical exercise . But we have a Citizen Yoga now .
So whenOpen Streets– a global front to close down local roadstead from use by canonic - ass cars , at least for a 24-hour interval – became a thing in Detroit for the first time ever this past Sunday , we were passably amped to rack up these motorist - barren streets . Not only did we get to enjoy brilliant 70 - level fall weather , but between the hour of noon and 5 pm , Michigan Avenue and Vernor Highway became promenades for the hoi polloi , by the hoi polloi . Almost four naut mi of MDOT ’s finest asphalt were uncommitted for " multitude to see street in a new way , whether by walking , running , biking , rollerblading or skateboarding . "
We were also promised " health and wellness activities " along the four - Roman mile route , but we mostly observed a neglect chance for a four - international nautical mile continuous stretch of biergartens and outdoor dining . Still , for five sweet , sweet-smelling hour , you could tantalise your bike down Michigan Ave without the very real fearfulness of being hit by a auto . We ’re fairly certain that makes unfastened Streets a major success , and we ’re down to do it again . We out here in these streets , Detroit .
Now , if only there was something we could do about those potholes …
If you missed out on the first Open Streets , you’re able to still enter in Part Two on October 2nd . We recommend you grab a bike and a to - go cup . discover all thedetails here .
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