The Roads Of Detroit
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Ever drive through Detroit and wonder where the name of the streets you travel on came from? You’re not alone! Detroit and its vast metropolitan area has a centuries-old rich, diverse history. The names of our streets weave a wonderful story that literally connects us all. Let’s take a drive!
Destination: The Davison Freeway (M-8)
The nation’s first urban depressed freeway
Within the cities of Detroit and Highland Pak, this 5.5 mile freeway connects I-75 with the Lodge (M-10) The M-8 designation was later added through Davison Ave in Detroit to connect to I-96 (Jefferies) Freeway.
The roadway was named for Jarad Davison, an English immigrant and one of the early settlers of the area.The roadway was the first urban, depressed freeway in the United States. The concrete for the road bed was cured underwater by flooding, creating an extremely hard and durable surface which lasted for more than 50 years (some requiring dynamite for its eventual removal.)
So you can fix the damn roads.
The Davison Freeway opened to traffic on November 24, 1942 — almost fifteen years before the Interstate Highway Act. Photo Courtesy Wayne State University
