Metropolitan Parkway (Detroit area)

Metropolitan Parkway
Length:	25.23 mi (40.60 km)
West end:	US 24 near Bloomfield Hills
Major junctions:	M-1 in Bloomfield Hills I-75 in Troy M-53 in Sterling Heights M-97 near Mt. Clemens M-3 near Mt. Clemens I-94 near Mt. Clemens
East end:	Metro Beach Metropark near Mount Clemens

Metropolitan Parkway or Metro Parkway is a major thoroughfare in Metro Detroit that stretches west from Metro Beach Metropark. After intersecting several streets, it goes under the names Big Beaver Road, Quarton Road, and Walnut Lake Road. The Metro Parkway name stretches westerly through Macomb County to Dequindre Road, where it crosses into Oakland County and its name changes to Big Beaver Road. Although not technically called such, Metropolitan Parkway corresponds to "16 Mile Road" in Detroit's mile road system and is sometimes referred to that way by area residents, depending on the portion of the road being referred to.

The Big Beaver Corridor Study

In 2006, the Big Beaver Corridor Study was announced, with the goal of making Big Beaver into a world-class boulevard, creating a downtown for Troy, which while having office parks conspicuously lacks a city center (unlike the neighboring towns of Birmingham, Rochester and Royal Oak).

The Big Beaver Corridor Study catalogues, analyzes, and defines issues that will begin a process of planning and directing development opportunities for years to come. Specifically, this document, in part one, provides an overview analysis of existing conditions and summarizes stakeholder and expert opinions as important input for part two efforts to redefine basic and overall corridor characteristics and experience.

Part two addresses the corridor as "world class boulevard" concept, advocated by the DDA as the strategy to re-ignite the development and redevelopment potential of the corridor. Part two outlines specific requirements needed to fulfill this goal. It assigns general land use concepts related to long-term economic viability, transportation management, the urban design aesthetic, and public experience of the corridor.

The study process has resulted in a plan that will fundamentally change the corridor from a traffic-dominant highway to a mixed use urban center, a very dramatic and forward-thinking idea. It also strongly advocates the need for a comprehensive master plan in addition to this study, which will address issues of public and private realm interactions, long-term values, and economic sustainability. This corridor study is an important chapter of that future master plan for the City of Troy.^[1]

Notes

• Big Beaver stretches between Dequindre Road and Woodward Avenue (M-1)
• Quarton Road stretches between Woodward and Inkster Road. It is cut off by Gilbert Lake and overlaps Telegraph Road (US 24).
• Walnut Lake Road briefly overlaps Quarton Road but is off track for only one mile and stretches from Franklin Road to Haggerty Road and is discontiguous at some portions.
• The Big Beaver Road section (in Troy) is exit 69 on I-75. This is a source of local amusement because of the 69 sex position and the term beaver referring to female pubic hair.^[2][3] The only other freeway in Michigan to have an exit 69 is I-196 at Chicago Drive.
• Michigan's famous Somerset Collection is located on Big Beaver Road.

Expressway portion

Metro Parkway is an expressway between Schoenherr Road and its eastern terminus. There are no grade separations, however there are at-grade intersections with a notable exception of the grade-separated I-94 interchange. On that stretch, private access is nearly eliminated.

References

1. ^ Staff (July 20, 2006). "Big Beaver Corridor Study". Birchler Arroyo Associates, Inc. http://www.birchlerarroyo.com/Clients/troy.htm. Retrieved May 23, 2011. 
2. ^ Kohn, Martin F. (February 2, 2006). "Local attractions guide". Detroit Free Press. http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060202/ENT0505/602020477/1115/ENT05. Retrieved May 23, 2011. 
3. ^ "Get Off On Big Beaver: Why Get Off Anywhere Else?". Exit69 Ltd.. 2002. http://www.getoffonbigbeaver.com/. Retrieved May 23, 2011.