| THOSE EDSEL B. FORD (I-94) EXPRESSWAY BUS STOPS |
In September, 1943, a committee
appointed by then Detroit Mayor
Edward J. Jeffries, Jr. released its
expressway plan for Detroit. It was
hoped that the mayor's “Street
Improvement Committee”
could offer solutions to alleviate the
city's troubling traffic congestion
problems, as Detroit prepared to
enter the post-WW-II years.
Other proposals by Wayne County
and the State of Michigan would
soon follow. Finally, in February of
1945, a plan developed for the
Detroit Transportation Board
was released. It included proposals
to build a complex expressway and
rapid transit system across Detroit.
The report advocated the building
of a network of expressways that
would radiate outward from the
downtown area, as well as a major
"Crosstown" superhighway that
would travel east-west along the
Harper-McGraw corridor.
appointed by then Detroit Mayor
Edward J. Jeffries, Jr. released its
expressway plan for Detroit. It was
hoped that the mayor's “Street
Improvement Committee”
could offer solutions to alleviate the
city's troubling traffic congestion
problems, as Detroit prepared to
enter the post-WW-II years.
Other proposals by Wayne County
and the State of Michigan would
soon follow. Finally, in February of
1945, a plan developed for the
Detroit Transportation Board
was released. It included proposals
to build a complex expressway and
rapid transit system across Detroit.
The report advocated the building
of a network of expressways that
would radiate outward from the
downtown area, as well as a major
"Crosstown" superhighway that
would travel east-west along the
Harper-McGraw corridor.
| When the Edsel Ford (I-94) Expressway was under construction during the early 1950's initial plans called for the construction of four stairways to be built from Woodward Ave., leading to the Ford Expressway below. These stairways were part of a rapid transit plan where passengers could board DSR buses from expressway level bus boarding stations. Unfortunately, the end result became a "Stairway to Nowhere!" (MDOT photo) |
In addition to a major expressway network, the committee also released its findings on mass transit. The study proposed
utilizing multiple-unit PCC streetcars, operating as high-speed trains, within the central mall portion of the entire Crosstown
Expressway, and along certain portions of the Grand River Expressway. The plan called for maintaining streetcar operation
on Woodward Avenue, but converting the existing streetcars lines on Fort, Gratiot, Jefferson and Michigan over to electric
trolley-buses. Upon reaching the downtown central business district, all streetcars and trolley-buses would then dip below
ground and operate via a subway. A number of underground stations were also planned for the downtown subway route,
terminating at a new underground plaza, which would be built underneath Cadillac Square. In addition, larger-size express
buses were proposed for routes along Grand River and Gratiot, that would travel along the proposed Crosstown, Grand
River and Hastings Expressways.
However, as with most rapid transit proposals planned for Detroit, this 1945 Detroit Expressway and Transit System
plan also met considerable opposition. But this time the opposition would come from an unlikely source -- the city's own
transportation department. In November of 1946, the city-owned Department of Street Railways (DSR) released its
own study on Detroit's transportation future. Since the DSR had been advocating since the mid-1930's the elimination of
its rail service, it basically opposed any plan to expand streetcars, or the continuance of any type of rail operation, whether
via a subway or along the median strip of an expressway.
Instead, the DSR pushed for an alternative expressway plan that would only include a network of high-speed bus routes
operating along the city's expressway network. These buses would then exit via exclusive bus ramps to four downtown
underground terminals. The DSR plan also called for the construction of several bus interchange stations to be built along
the expressways themselves -- an idea opposed by the engineers who prepared the Detroit Transit Board report. The
DSR report considered the high-speed bus plan "a superior type of rapid transit" and more economically feasible.
So what did Detroiters receive instead??
Well, because of the influence of the DSR and others, the proposed high-speed rail lines operating along wide central malls
within the center median of the expressways were never built. However, neither were the special bus ramps or downtown
underground bus terminals. What resulted were a number of so-called "bus interchange" or bus boarding stations that
were incorporated along the Edsel B. Ford (Crosstown) Expressway. Interestingly, the unused remnants of some of
these former freeway bus stops, or "rapid transit" boarding stations, still exist today.
In the Sunday, January 2, 1955, edition of The Detroit News, DSR general manager Leo J. Nowicki was quoted as saying,
"...with the opening of new stretches of the Ford and Lodge expressways and the completion of the
Ford-Lodge interchange, DSR buses will be able to move with a speed and ease unmatched by subways
or other rapid transit systems now in existence elsewhere."
Shortly afterward, the DSR launched its new Plymouth Express bus service on Monday, January 31, 1955. The Plymouth
Express would become the first DSR bus route to operate along "two" Detroit expressways, and the first to utilize the new
Ford-Lodge interchange -- portions of which first opened on January 18, 1955. A Detroit Free Press article regarding the
new service stated....
"...From [the Ford Expressway] patrons are whisked downtown in a record 13 minutes, including two
stops for passengers at Livernois and Grand River where special loading stations are incorporated in
the Ford Expressway."
Many may be surprised to learn that the remnants of one of these "special loading stations" can still be found today along
the Edsel Ford (I-94) Freeway, some fifty plus years later.
utilizing multiple-unit PCC streetcars, operating as high-speed trains, within the central mall portion of the entire Crosstown
Expressway, and along certain portions of the Grand River Expressway. The plan called for maintaining streetcar operation
on Woodward Avenue, but converting the existing streetcars lines on Fort, Gratiot, Jefferson and Michigan over to electric
trolley-buses. Upon reaching the downtown central business district, all streetcars and trolley-buses would then dip below
ground and operate via a subway. A number of underground stations were also planned for the downtown subway route,
terminating at a new underground plaza, which would be built underneath Cadillac Square. In addition, larger-size express
buses were proposed for routes along Grand River and Gratiot, that would travel along the proposed Crosstown, Grand
River and Hastings Expressways.
However, as with most rapid transit proposals planned for Detroit, this 1945 Detroit Expressway and Transit System
plan also met considerable opposition. But this time the opposition would come from an unlikely source -- the city's own
transportation department. In November of 1946, the city-owned Department of Street Railways (DSR) released its
own study on Detroit's transportation future. Since the DSR had been advocating since the mid-1930's the elimination of
its rail service, it basically opposed any plan to expand streetcars, or the continuance of any type of rail operation, whether
via a subway or along the median strip of an expressway.
Instead, the DSR pushed for an alternative expressway plan that would only include a network of high-speed bus routes
operating along the city's expressway network. These buses would then exit via exclusive bus ramps to four downtown
underground terminals. The DSR plan also called for the construction of several bus interchange stations to be built along
the expressways themselves -- an idea opposed by the engineers who prepared the Detroit Transit Board report. The
DSR report considered the high-speed bus plan "a superior type of rapid transit" and more economically feasible.
So what did Detroiters receive instead??
Well, because of the influence of the DSR and others, the proposed high-speed rail lines operating along wide central malls
within the center median of the expressways were never built. However, neither were the special bus ramps or downtown
underground bus terminals. What resulted were a number of so-called "bus interchange" or bus boarding stations that
were incorporated along the Edsel B. Ford (Crosstown) Expressway. Interestingly, the unused remnants of some of
these former freeway bus stops, or "rapid transit" boarding stations, still exist today.
In the Sunday, January 2, 1955, edition of The Detroit News, DSR general manager Leo J. Nowicki was quoted as saying,
"...with the opening of new stretches of the Ford and Lodge expressways and the completion of the
Ford-Lodge interchange, DSR buses will be able to move with a speed and ease unmatched by subways
or other rapid transit systems now in existence elsewhere."
Shortly afterward, the DSR launched its new Plymouth Express bus service on Monday, January 31, 1955. The Plymouth
Express would become the first DSR bus route to operate along "two" Detroit expressways, and the first to utilize the new
Ford-Lodge interchange -- portions of which first opened on January 18, 1955. A Detroit Free Press article regarding the
new service stated....
"...From [the Ford Expressway] patrons are whisked downtown in a record 13 minutes, including two
stops for passengers at Livernois and Grand River where special loading stations are incorporated in
the Ford Expressway."
Many may be surprised to learn that the remnants of one of these "special loading stations" can still be found today along
the Edsel Ford (I-94) Freeway, some fifty plus years later.
The Plymouth Express coaches (which were replaced by Joy Road Express coaches later the same year) would make two
stops along its expressway route via ramps and lanes leading to street-level boarding stations like the ones pictured above.
Coaches would exit the expressway via the exit ramp, follow a special lane to board passengers, and then merge back on-
to the expressway. Although the eastbound boarding station and lanes (highlighted above) were eventually removed, and
the ramps reconstructed into a more conventional ramp configuration, the curving westbound Livernois entrance and exit
ramp design remains virtually unchanged today. Only recently have the special bus-only turn-around lanes been removed.
Similar boarding stations were located along the Ford Expressway-Grand River exits. Eastbound coaches would exit at the
Grand River (Maybury Grand) exit, while westbound coaches would exit at the Grand River (Linwood) exit. Although very
little information can be found on this particular boarding station, aerial photos seem to suggest that express coaches also
re-entered the expressway via special bus only lanes. When the Dexter and Grand River Express routes were routed along
the Ford and Lodge Expressways for a short period beginning in 1955, these boarding stations were used by both routes
to enter and exit the Ford. However, this entire area was later completely redesigned with the addition of the Jeffries (I-96)
and Ford (I-94) interchange, which was built during the early 1970's.
stops along its expressway route via ramps and lanes leading to street-level boarding stations like the ones pictured above.
Coaches would exit the expressway via the exit ramp, follow a special lane to board passengers, and then merge back on-
to the expressway. Although the eastbound boarding station and lanes (highlighted above) were eventually removed, and
the ramps reconstructed into a more conventional ramp configuration, the curving westbound Livernois entrance and exit
ramp design remains virtually unchanged today. Only recently have the special bus-only turn-around lanes been removed.
Similar boarding stations were located along the Ford Expressway-Grand River exits. Eastbound coaches would exit at the
Grand River (Maybury Grand) exit, while westbound coaches would exit at the Grand River (Linwood) exit. Although very
little information can be found on this particular boarding station, aerial photos seem to suggest that express coaches also
re-entered the expressway via special bus only lanes. When the Dexter and Grand River Express routes were routed along
the Ford and Lodge Expressways for a short period beginning in 1955, these boarding stations were used by both routes
to enter and exit the Ford. However, this entire area was later completely redesigned with the addition of the Jeffries (I-96)
and Ford (I-94) interchange, which was built during the early 1970's.
Perhaps the most bizarre bus stop of them
all existed along the Woodward Avenue
overpass to the Edsel B. Ford Expressway.
That's where four stairways, costing a total
of $29,500, were built from Woodward to
the Ford Expressway which passed below.
In an attempt to accommodate the DSR's
vision of providing Detroiters "rapid transit"
service through the use of express buses
operating along the city's expressways, the
stairs were to be used by DSR passengers
moving to and from bus loading stations at
the express level. The plan was that a new
east-west express route would be started
along the Ford Expressway.
Special bus lanes were incorporated into
the expressway to access the bus loading
stations that were located at the foot of the
stairways. Express buses would enter the
waiting area via the special bus lanes, board
passengers waiting at the station, and then
re-enter the expressway.
Apparently, the city's plans looked great
on paper, but they were never carried out.
The stairways would remain unused for
nearly five years. With the access blocked
off at the Woodward street level, the stairs
became a reminder of what could have
been.
In the December 20, 1959, Detroit News
article titled, "Stairway to Nowhere," the
DSR's Superintendent of Transportation
Operations, James E. Bostick, was quoted
as saying, "...The plan proved to be
impractical. Surveys revealed there
was not sufficient passenger
volume to justify the new line, and
it never was started."
Consequently, wrecking crews had to be
called to correct the five year old mistake.
City officials stated that it was going to cost
money to remove the stairs. The stairways
were slated to be removed in the spring of
1960. In addition to removing the stairways
all existed along the Woodward Avenue
overpass to the Edsel B. Ford Expressway.
That's where four stairways, costing a total
of $29,500, were built from Woodward to
the Ford Expressway which passed below.
In an attempt to accommodate the DSR's
vision of providing Detroiters "rapid transit"
service through the use of express buses
operating along the city's expressways, the
stairs were to be used by DSR passengers
moving to and from bus loading stations at
the express level. The plan was that a new
east-west express route would be started
along the Ford Expressway.
Special bus lanes were incorporated into
the expressway to access the bus loading
stations that were located at the foot of the
stairways. Express buses would enter the
waiting area via the special bus lanes, board
passengers waiting at the station, and then
re-enter the expressway.
Apparently, the city's plans looked great
on paper, but they were never carried out.
The stairways would remain unused for
nearly five years. With the access blocked
off at the Woodward street level, the stairs
became a reminder of what could have
been.
In the December 20, 1959, Detroit News
article titled, "Stairway to Nowhere," the
DSR's Superintendent of Transportation
Operations, James E. Bostick, was quoted
as saying, "...The plan proved to be
impractical. Surveys revealed there
was not sufficient passenger
volume to justify the new line, and
it never was started."
Consequently, wrecking crews had to be
called to correct the five year old mistake.
City officials stated that it was going to cost
money to remove the stairs. The stairways
were slated to be removed in the spring of
1960. In addition to removing the stairways
|
workers will also widen and lengthen the westbound John R expressway entrance ramp, which passes below Woodward at
that same point before merging into the westbound lanes of the Ford. City officials reported back then that the total cost
of the reconstruction work, most of which involved the ramp alterations, would be $63,500. Those alterations which were
made to the westbound ramp in 1960 is what remains there today. However, aside from the removal of the stairways, no
further alterations were made to the eastbound bus lane, which remains — neglected, ragged and worn — to this day.
So what did Detroiters receive after all those post-WWII promises? Of course a number of the freeways were built, but as
far as mass transit goes, Detroiters received a couple of unused stairs, winding exit ramps, and a few deserted bus lanes.
OH WOW!!!
that same point before merging into the westbound lanes of the Ford. City officials reported back then that the total cost
of the reconstruction work, most of which involved the ramp alterations, would be $63,500. Those alterations which were
made to the westbound ramp in 1960 is what remains there today. However, aside from the removal of the stairways, no
further alterations were made to the eastbound bus lane, which remains — neglected, ragged and worn — to this day.
So what did Detroiters receive after all those post-WWII promises? Of course a number of the freeways were built, but as
far as mass transit goes, Detroiters received a couple of unused stairs, winding exit ramps, and a few deserted bus lanes.
OH WOW!!!
Information contained in the above article were compiled from various sources, including the Detroit News article titled "Stairway
to Nowhere" (December 20, 1955); miscellaneous Detroit Free Press news articles; Detroit's DSR, Part 3 by Jack E. Schramm
(May-June 1993 MCA); and the Detroit Transportation Board's 1945 Detroit Expressway and Transit System Report (posted at
Detroitrising.com). Express bus route information courtesy of "DSR BUS ROUTES, 1945-1975" (May-June 1993 edition of Motor
Coach Age magazine, pgs.30-40).
to Nowhere" (December 20, 1955); miscellaneous Detroit Free Press news articles; Detroit's DSR, Part 3 by Jack E. Schramm
(May-June 1993 MCA); and the Detroit Transportation Board's 1945 Detroit Expressway and Transit System Report (posted at
Detroitrising.com). Express bus route information courtesy of "DSR BUS ROUTES, 1945-1975" (May-June 1993 edition of Motor
Coach Age magazine, pgs.30-40).
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© 2007 (PAGE LAST MODIFIED ON 04-07-07)
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FOR RELATED TOPIC SEE: HISTORY OF EXPRESSWAY BUS SERVICE IN DETROIT
| PRINTER- FRIENDLY VERSION |
| DETROIT TRANSIT HISTORY |
| DETROIT TRANSIT HISTORY |
(NOTE: Page best viewed using Internet Explorer browser - Other browsers used with Macintosh computers may distort the page layout.)
| The web-site which takes a look back at the History of Public Transportation in and around the City of Detroit. |
| .. |
SPECIAL EXPRESSWAY-LEVEL LOADING STATIONS:
| The short video clip to the left follows D.S.R. GM diesel coach #1300 as it exits the eastbound Edsel B. Ford Expressway to the street level boarding station which was at one time located along the Livernois Avenue exit and entrance ramps. In this video clip, filmed in the summer of 1955, the coach follows along the path highlighted in the aerial photo above. From January 31, 1955 through November 21, 1955, this special loading station, incorporated into the Ford Expressway, was serviced by the DSR's new Plymouth Express bus route. This exit ramp was later redesigned into its current configuration sometime during the early-to-mid-sixties. |
(Click "Play Button" to Start — Video should download momentarily)
| Video-clip duration: 01:03 |
| (video added 07/26/08) |
| VIDEO CLIP: FORD EXPRESSWAY AT LIVERNOIS STOP |
| To view a slightly longer video clip, which also includes this segment and just a bit more, visit the web-page: THE HISTORY OF EXPRESSWAY BUS SERVICE IN DETROIT |
| PRINTER- FRIENDLY VERSION |
SPECIAL EXPRESSWAY "STREET-LEVEL" BUS LOADING STATIONS:
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |