MDOT - History & Culture

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Discovering Woodward Ave.

The nation's first mile of rural concrete highway was built on Woodward Avenue in Detroit in 1909.

Woodward Avenue: a Road to the Heart and Soul of America PDF icon

On June 13, 2002, Woodward Avenue (M-1) from the Detroit River to the city of Pontiac became one of America's 99 National Byways.
This historic route includes the site of the first mile of rural concrete highway in the world, and plays host to the city's annual Dream Cruise.
Read on to learn about the history and culture of the road that's been Detroit's "main drag" for more than a century

Visit the Woodward photo galleries for a window into the past.

• Transportation Timeline
Learn about MDOT's first century of progress--from mud roads to interstates--with this transportation timeline.

• MDOT Logo History, 1905 - Current
Learn about the history of the MDOT logo beginning with the introduction of the first logo in 1905.

People of MDOT

Who was "Good Roads" Earle?
Michigan's first highway commissioner was a bicyclist who declared war on mud.

• Faces of MDOT at Work (Flash 8 Required)
Length: 1:32 min. File size: 2.34MB

• MDOT Directors, 1905-present

Facts & Firsts

• World Firsts

• National Firsts

• Road & Highway Facts

• Airborne Facts

• Trail Facts

• Ferry, Ship & Lighthouse Facts

• Rail & Transit Facts

• Out of This World Facts

• 100 Years of Transportation Achievements


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