[DetroitMan]

The Detroit News had a neat photo gallery of the Lodge Freeway in today's article about the freeway being shutdown for reconstruction. Work on the Lodge started in the late 1940s and was completed by the mid 60s. It connects downtown to the northwest suburbs.
http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/1-lodgew.jpg
John C. Lodge, photographed Jan. 10, 1928 during his last term as mayor of Detroit. The freeway that ties downtown Detroit to the northwest suburbs was named after him.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/3-overpassw.jpg
Pedestrians take the new Selden overpass to reach the other side the Lodge Highway on Dec. 11, 1952.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/4-temple-exitw.jpg
Traffic was forced to take the Temple exit at Grand River on May 1, 1953. More miles on the Lodge would open as they were completed.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/5-cobow.jpg
Dipping under Cobo Center, the final downtown section of the Lodge Expressway was set to open Nov. 3, 1959. The new section, shown on Oct. 2, 1959, extended a half mile from Third to Randolph.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/6-northwesternw.jpg
The Lodge runs into Northwestern Highway, completing a 9-mile stretch that opened Nov. 10, 1959.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/7-fromcobow.jpg
From the intersection of West Jefferson and the Lodge, traffic goes under the Union Depot station and train tracks.[/img]

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/8-rampw.jpg
[b]The James Couzens entrance ramp was backed up on Dec. 7, 1959.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/9aw.jpg
A sign at the Howard Street exit ramp warns horse-drawn vehicles not to enter the expressway.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/9-opening-puritanw.jpg
Southbound Lodge was open at Puritan but northbound lanes were not ready on Oct. 2, 1963.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/10-meyersw.jpg
Another section of freeway was opened at Meyers on Dec. 9, 1963.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/11-7milew.jpg
First motorists travel a new section between Greenfield and 7 Mile Road on June 23, 1964.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/12-tvcontrolw.jpg
Sign on the Chicago Boulevard entrance ramp July 6, 1967 advises that a television monitoring system helps control traffic flow.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/13-wsuw.jpg
A 1,000-car parking structure, shown Nov. 1971, was proposed in the Forest-Warren area at Wayne State University. The structure would have five parking decks suspended from an 18-foot-deep steel truss. The top floor would be for office or classroom space and would link the main WSU campus and athletic facilities.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/14-icew.jpg
Traffic passes through smashed icicles and dripping water in the Cobo Center underpass on Dec. 30, 1983.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/14B-Howardstreetw.jpg
Deteriorating pavement needed temporary repairs near Howard Street on Oct. 24, 1984. A major freeway rebuilding was still several years away.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/15-wallw.jpg
Part of the massive freeway reconstruction, a retaining wall is taken down on the northbound Lodge at Collingwood.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/16-jamw.jpg
The first phase of the Lodge reconstruction was nearing completion on Sept. 5, 1986. Southbound traffic was diverted into one lane at Forest, causing a one-mile backup.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/16B-tearupw1.jpg
The Lodge is closed to traffic at I-75 while crews remove old pavement on April 11, 1987.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/16C-tearupw.jpg
Crews pour new concrete on the northbound Lodge near the I-94 interchange on July 9, 1987.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/19-undercobow.jpg
Construction of the Lodge under Cobo Center was completed by Aug. 17, 1989. The freeway would reopen in two months after finishing work in other sections was completed. The road under the expanded Cobo Center was lowered 8-10 feet. Entrance and entrance ramps at Larned and Congress were added.

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/18-openw.jpg
The rebuilt Lodge Freeway reopened at 3 p.m. Oct. 14, 1987, nine months behind schedule and $8 million over budget.

[toog05]

I like the idea of that parking garage, I think it looks futuristic, it would have been fancy.

[Erieshore]

Does anyone know why Detroit opted to build those retaining walls on its freeways?

[Cleveland Brown]

:previous: The section North of Wyoming Ave. was a pre-existing boulovard, lined with businesses on both sides, so the freeway had to stay within the old boulevard's width to save the business and a service drive.

[LMich]

As much as I dislike what freeways did to Detroit, if I had to pick my favorite, it would be the Lodge. The narrow ditch section of the freeway creates interesting drive through the northwest side.

[Cleveland Brown]

^ Just interesting? It's pretty damn fast traveling through that section since it's very hard (but on rare occasions possible) to get radar/laser clocked by the cops. :D

[The-New-Tony-Detroit]

Most of Detroit's freewys allow for fast driving - regardless if you could be clocked or not.

Little known fact: The Lodge originally was going to have a Chicago Skyway-style bridge over NW Detroit near the Wyoming curve and Livernois area (I can only imagine the skyline views this would of given)

[Hayward]

Amazing to see this shot and think how not much has changed in this view, except for maybe more cars

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/9-opening-puritanw.jpg

[Xing]

Those are really cool.

[Michi]

Yah, I look at many of those photos and think how hardly anything has changed. The only uncool thing about the Lodge is how ungodly narrow it is. With speeds of 70-80 mph and no shoulders, the thing is a potential death trap.

Most of Detroit's freeway system was planned to be subterranian since most of it was being constructed through preexisting built up cityscape. There's a few exceptions along I-75 at McNichols (6 Mile), from Springwells and over the Rouge River, and I-94 over the Dequindre rail yards.

[Cleveland Brown]

Most of Detroit's freewys allow for fast driving - regardless if you could be clocked or not.


Indeed, but the Lodge is unique. Only on the Lodge can rush hour traffic (in the middle, NOT the left lane) exceed 80MPH, with fools weaving in and out of traffic at 100+

[Cleveland Brown]

Amazing to see this shot and think how not much has changed in this view, except for maybe more cars

http://info.detnews.com/pix/news/2007/lodge_chrono_01272007/9-opening-puritanw.jpg

Imagine how dangerous this stretch of road was before they replaced the metal deviders with proper "Jersey Barriers". At Detroit left lane speeds a car losing control and crossing the barrier could make for 160-200+ MPH collisions!!! :(

I wonder if you could find driver fatality/injury statistics for this stretch of road to see how it would compare with more "regulated" stretches of roadway?

[LMich]

Yeah, 'interesting' was a euphemism. :) Driving the Lodge is like a forward moving pinball game. I love it. When you go out of state, barring a few tough driving cities, driving seems boring and painfully slow. The Southfield Freeway is another 'interesting' drive.

[Hayward]

People never drove that fast back then. The above photos show traffic probably moving at 45-55 mph.

Regardless, it's no different than any two laned state highway. Not to mention in some areas, people drive 65-70 mph on them and there is nothing seperating traffic other than yellow paint. It's not much different.

I do have to agree the Lodge is crazy though. Listening to Obie Trice's recent album I was just thinking how he was shot in the head around Wyoming Ave and had to drive for several miles before exiting. Now that's difficult driving on the Lodge!

[LMich]

Well, the freeway may not have been originally designed, specifically, for a faster drive than others, but you can't deny some designs end up being more condusive to speeding than others, and the Lodge is one of those. The Lodge design may have been for practical purposes through Northwest Detroit (i.e. effecting as little as a freeway could the fabric of the neighborhoods), but the ditch also promotes speeding.

[hudkina]

Actually, statistics show that it is in slow-moving traffic that most accidents occur. That's one of the reasons why the speed limit was increased in certain areas including I-75 from Pennsylvania Rd to the Detroit city limits or I-696 along its entire stretch and also why the speed minimum on highways is now 55 MPH instead of 45 MPH.

[ChiArchie]

The Lodge was a relaxing drive compared to the old Davidson Freeway, or the Ditch of Death. Once the Davidson was rebuilt it was no fun to drive, with all wide shoulders and acclereation lanes.

[Detroit5000]

Actually, statistics show that it is in slow-moving traffic that most accidents occur. That's one of the reasons why the speed limit was increased in certain areas including I-75 from Pennsylvania Rd to the Detroit city limits or I-696 along its entire stretch and also why the speed minimum on highways is now 55 MPH instead of 45 MPH.

They should make the express lanes on 96 in Detroit 70mph instead of 65, hell I usually go 80. The local lanes need to be bumped up to 65.

They need to increase the speeds on the Southfield. I hate those cops sitting on the shoulder in Allen Park. Heaven forbid you drive 56mph! Bastards.