Here are a few of the stories we're reading this week.
Saving the bricks in Corktown
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is planning to make some changes to Michigan Avenue, including having a dedicated transit lane, expanding sidewalks, and switching out the brick pavers with concrete road pavers. Residents and business leaders are concerned with the last change, saying that the bricks create a sense of place in the historic neighborhood. The campaign is also opposed to the reduction of lanes as well as the lack of transparency from MDOT. They're also concerned about what might happen to businesses during construction. MDOT says that no final decisions have been made on the project, which could start next spring. Detroit Free Press (paywalled)
Marking history at the Algiers Motel
Last week, officials and family members gathered at the site of the Algiers Motel, where three teenagers were killed during the 1967 rebellion in Detroit. A historical marker now sits at the spot of the tragedy where police killed Carl Cooper, 17, Aubrey Pollard, 19, and Fred Temple, 18. Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist said at the ceremony:
“Our strongest seeds comes from blood-soaked soil.” He emphasized that the marker can serve as a starting point for future generations, fostering conversations that will positively shape history. “The marker is a reminder that we still have work to do,” he said. “We build progress person by person, connection by connection, and conversation by conversation.”
The U.S. and Canada officially connected again
Last week, the Gordie Howe International Bridge officially connected on the bridge deck, becoming an official border crossing. Work started in 2018 on the bridge, and with some delays in 2020, is set to open next year. Construction continues on the bridge itself, as well as buildings at the entry ports. The bridge won't just be for vehicles; it will have a walking and biking path. AP
Everything you want to know about the Joe Louis Greenway
Our friends at Daily Detroit chatted this week with Joe Louis Greenway Executive Director Leona Medley about everything involving the 26-mile pathway being built around Detroit and into Hamtramck, Highland Park, and Dearborn. Spotify
