Here are a pair of photos of the long gone Belle Isle Bridge Approach in Detroit. The original bridge was built in 1889, and destroyed in a fire in 1915. In 1923, the current bridge was built to link the mainland to the island. When it opened there was a nifty underground approach when headed south on East Grand Boulevard, that let you bypass the intersection with East Jefferson Ave.
I’m not sure when it happened but, somewhere along the line it was filled in.
Photo from Author’s Collection
Photo from the collection of Bernie Drouillard
The Jefferson Avenue underpass was filled in? My failing memory says it was there at least until I left Detroit in ’73. Could have it been done in the 1984/1985 bridge rebuild?
In the lower picture, what is the building to the left, a bus shelter?
So it was around that late huh?
Yes, the building on the left was a bus shelter.
Andrew…
….that was a guess on my part. I remember the underpass always being there, but the MDOT website discusses a major “restoration” on the bridge in 84/85.
I moved to Windsor-Detroit in 1989, and as far as I can recall, it was gone by then.
Out of curiosity I asked the question on DetroitYes. The response I got indicated that it was during the 84/85 reconstruction..
doug
Thanks for the update Doug
My sister and I (aged 6 & 8) begged my father to blow the horn when we got under the bridge becasse a sign said not to.