Metro Area Freeway Names (Southfield, Davison: houses, residential, buildings)

[clawsondude]

Originally Posted by craig11152

In the larger public interest they should stick to the numbers. Half the people living here don't know all the names and there is no hope for someone driving through from out of town.

When I was in school I had professor from Boston. She claims that when listening to the traffic report she was confused as to why they would say there were delays on the "Large" (Lodge, remember, Boston) freeway and not be more specific. I'm not sure if she was joking or not but I thought it was funny.

[Jaysen71]

Originally Posted by MS313

Where does I-75 south turn into the "Detroit-Toledo expressway"?

I think I-94 in Kalamazoo is named after the officer that got killed in Kalamazoo Officer Zapata. I think it's called the Officer Zapata highway/ freeway.

Good catch forgot about that name; I'm thinking S. of I-275 it is called Detroit-Toledo Expressway. Nice to honor that officer also with that sec. of I-94 in Kalamazoo.

[Jaysen71]

Originally Posted by Coldjensens

The freeways I only know the numbers, not the names (except the Lodge I know the name but usually use the number and Southfield and Davison I only know the name and not the number), and the highways I only know by name, not number (although I probably could have remember Michigan Avenue is M-12 with a bit of brain struggle). Some of the freeway names listed above, I have never heard before. Some of the highway names I have never heard the number. I drive on Fort Street 2 - 10 times a day and i never knew it had a number.

What about Dix Toledo? That road confuses me, it pops up all over the place, but I am not sure where it goes and it does not seem to be continuous. Is that different than "Dixie highway" that i see exit signs for a bit further north?

Hi. Dix/Dix-Toledo starts as Vernor Hwy. then heads S.E. @ Livernois through Detroit, and Downriver until Telegraph. It picks up the Toledo name @ Schaefer. I know confusing. Then Dixie Hwy. is the Telegraph Ext. (U S 24) all the way to Exit 93 on I-75. Then I think it is still called Dixie to the Genessee County line.

[Jaysen71]

Originally Posted by Retroit

I use the numbers for the interstates.

By the way, I-94 in Macomb & St. Clair County is the "James G. O'Hara Freeway". I only know this because there is a sign just north of 8 Mile Road (which is also known as Base Line Road).

Good catch I forgot about that one also, dummy me; I will update.

[Jaysen71]

Originally Posted by usroute10

I am surprised you don’t know about this little freeway - it holds some historical significance

The Davison was the first urban freeway in the United States, built in 1942. It isn’t associated with a number designation because it was originally a county freeway and was named after a prominent early resident of the Highland Park area

“Originally, Davison Avenue was the only street that connected across Highland Park and Detroit. Due to heavy traffic in the area, the Highland Park Council approved a proposal to build a six-lane freeway and construction began in 1941…Travel time to and from Detroit improved from approximately fifteen minutes to around three to four minutes after the expressway was opened, and thus the first urban freeway in the United States was born.”

Davison Freeway | Detroit Historical Society


Davison before the freeway


Davison Freeway when it opened in 1942






I am 36, and I am familiar with all of those freeway names because when I was growing up, my parents would blare the all news station, WWJ 950 AM, in the morning while we were getting ready for school/work, and the newscasters would use those names, even the Walter P. Reuther (I-696).

Cool pics. I'm only familiar with all this cause I drive a Route truck all over Metro Detroit and I also listen to 950 or 760 for Traffic updates thoughout the day. But it's kind of neat also.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by Jaysen71

Cool pics. I'm only familiar with all this cause I drive a Route truck all over Metro Detroit and I also listen to 950 or 760 for Traffic updates thoughout the day. But it's kind of neat also.

I got on the Davison once by mistake and I was confused and ticked. "WTH is davison? where does it go? Where am I going and how do I get back to freeway I recognize"

Don't get on Davison by mistake if you are not familiar with it.

[brodie734]

It's fairly easy to get off of Davison, you just need to do a Michigan u-turn

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by brodie734

It's fairly easy to get off of Davison, you just need to do a Michigan u-turn

I do not remember the details but I got off and could not find a way to get back in the other direction. Ended up wandering lost though some ick. Finally turned on my phone navigation.

[snoopygirlmi]

I was so confused when I moved here because they'd use the names and not the numbers.

Thankfully, I've got a pretty good handle on the names, but I just don't need them anymore because we live in the far Western suburbs and most of them aren't named highways.

(As someone pointed out earlier about 14 and 23 and 96 or 94.)

[belleislerunner]

Listen to WWJ (950AM) for traffic reports every ten minutes and you'll know them all in a week.

In daily conversation - I only use "the Davison", the "Lodge" or the "Southfield" Freeway.

I would never say take the Reuther east - but I would say 696 to 94. But I've never once said take M-10 into Detroit.

I'd have to google what that was.


Oh and the Davidson is much more convenient if you're coming downtown from Southfield - You take Lodge, Davison to 75. 75 has more lanes and faster speeds to get you through North End/New Center/Midtown/Downtown. 96 to Davison to Lodge is a whole different story as that cuts through a neighborhood as a residential expressway.