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Categories: Photo Du JourWindsor

Ghost Road

Once upon a time, South Cameron Ave. ran all the way Tecumseh Rd. near the Michigan Central Train Station to Howard Avenue and Kenilworth Race Track. South Cameron hugged the rail line the entire way. Interesting to note, that Grand Marais also crossed the tracks back then too.

Today carved up by the Expressway and shopping plazas, the road terminates at Dougall and picks up again behind the roundhouse centre for a short distance. The line in red shows the original path of the road, overlaid on a current aerial view.

Looking at the view in Google Earth, it appeared that part of the road might still be in existence in the area between Dougall and the Expressway. A line of telephone poles in a parking lot mark the route of the old road.

An old sign frame on the pole, this probably once held a speed limit sign.

Slightly overgrown, and chopped off my the expressway, there was still a concrete road there.

Far from anything that would need it, a lamppost sits in the middle of some overgrown brush.

Concrete curbs mark the driveway to something long gone. This was near the light, maybe it was once a gas station?

Another view of the light.

A final view of the ghost road. As I’ve said before, more history right under our noses.

Andrew

View Comments

  • Interesting aerial view. Shows the exact route of the DRTP proposal which is the shortest and least invasive route to the 401 for transports. No expropriation required and tunneled if needed. You can see from this photo how little the DRTP interferes with traffic of any kind.

  • I recall being hauled down South Cameron daily as a little kid. We lived near there. It was a busy road prior to the construction of the Xpway. I recall too the start of E.C. Row, as I lived right off 3rd Concession of which E.C. Row became.

    As for the DRTP route..........of course it makes sense. It always has. Even if I lived back in South Windsor, I would still support it.

  • Which begs the question why didn't the city approve of expanding the train tunnel WITHOUT the trucks? Is it to stick it to Mike Hurst and screw the citizens as long as city hall get their revenge?

  • ME, they (council) still believe the Train Tunnel option is a ruse for Trucks. I think Bill Marra supported an exploratory study for the train option but he was b-slapped by the other marionettes and it faded away.

  • I assume the road was closed because it dead ended at the expressway, and the 45 degree crossing at Dougall must have been suicide to try and cross. :)

  • Great post. The few times I've driven down what's left of South Cameron it seemed like a ghost road, crumbling and empty (except for me). It seems strange to me that this other section was simply cut off from access and there it sits.

  • This is behind what was the funeral home? I recall that was once a Burger King, but it failed (weird location).

    This is a very neat find.

  • I used to work at Preney Print and Litho, the brown wood sided building next to the ex-funeral home location. Preney's building was once a full service (Esso?) station, with service bays, show room for tires and other auto stuff and I think a car wash. The place had a full basement for stock.

    I used to drive back onto that old road to pile up skids of paper for recycling and empty pallets.

    The funeral home was originally built as a Burger King, Woodall Golf was in there for(e) a bit
    after Zehrs/Superstore built on the old driving range.

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