The Great M-8 Debate

[Hellfighter]

Okay, as many Michigan natives know, Davison Avenue/Freeway is signed as M-8 between M-10/Lodge and Conant Ave. Yet there are some misunderstandings about the Davison between I-96 and M-10...

When MDOT rebuilt the Lodge in 2007, it replaced all the signs, yet they put this up...

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=14920+Cavour,+Livonia,+Wayne,+Michigan+48154&ll=42.396325,-83.108042&spn=0.002638,0.013937&z=17&layer=c&cbll=42.396328,-83.108043&panoid=MLMUKR_FZSssmrOznPzjaA&cbp=11,308.74,,0,-10.45

While some bridges are being reconstructed along I-96, continuing from last year, MDOT put up detour signs, and these pop up...

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=14920+Cavour,+Livonia,+Wayne,+Michigan+48154&ll=42.372488,-83.14657&spn=0.002639,0.013937&z=17&layer=c&cbll=42.372484,-83.146565&panoid=6VxqZVtuWZxf16C1Sq83YQ&cbp=11,139.14,,0,-5.25

...and here...

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=14920+Cavour,+Livonia,+Wayne,+Michigan+48154&ll=42.383718,-83.150797&spn=0.002639,0.013937&z=17&layer=c&cbll=42.383716,-83.150797&panoid=leY0f9EK0j3kkJhgKcp-pQ&cbp=11,95.97,,1,2.3

...and here

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=14920+Cavour,+Livonia,+Wayne,+Michigan+48154&ll=42.372321,-83.146023&spn=0.002639,0.013937&z=17&layer=c&cbll=42.372535,-83.145223&panoid=rjVkJbFqSbDcelOG9qWkQQ&cbp=11,53.77,,0,15.05

What is up with this? Is it signed or not? If not, then why would you post official detour signs with the M-8 shield? If it is, then why hasn't MDOT replaced the I-96 signs, or posted signs along W. Davison Ave? Either it is or it isn't, MDOT pick one! Why is this so confusing?

[InterstateNG]

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MDOT_statemap2005_Detroit_7_126122_7.pdf

It is unsigned between the Jeffries and the Lodge.

[Hellfighter]

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/MDOT_statemap2005_Detroit_7_126122_7.pdf

It is unsigned between the Jeffries and the Lodge.

Then how do explain the signage on the Lodge?

[Alps]

If it's a route, it's subject to be signed.  Ask NJ 59 or 62.  All the signs prove is that the route exists, not that there's necessarily an intent to fully sign the route.

[corco]

I enjoy the triple rhyme 

[Hellfighter]

Then why does MDOT post Detour East M-8 signs on I-96?

[bulldog1979]

Then why does MDOT post Detour East M-8 signs on I-96?

Ok, I'm confused here. (Part of it is because Google Street View doesn't show me anything about 90% of the time right now. All I get are black screens in the window instead of pictures.) It's always been my understanding that M-8 was only signed along the freeway section of the Davison, not the surface street sections. The other freeways in the area may or may not have signage. Of course, I avoid Detroit like the plague, so the last time I was in that direction, I went no closer to Detroit than to pick someone up at the airport.

[dfilpus]

Then why does MDOT post Detour East M-8 signs on I-96?

Because the engineers that design construction signage follow the internal maps instead of the actual signage. The same thing happened in Grand Rapids during construction on US 131/unsigned I 296. Construction signs had I 296 shields, while the road did not.

[Alps]

Also consider that if you want to get to signed M-8, you would probably take unsigned M-8 (Davison) from I-96 to begin with.  So even if Davison had no route number at all, you very well still might have the East 8 detour signs.

[Hellfighter]

Also consider that if you want to get to signed M-8, you would probably take unsigned M-8 (Davison) from I-96 to begin with.  So even if Davison had no route number at all, you very well still might have the East 8 detour signs.

Here's another similar situation. Before MDOT extended M-85/Fort St from Schaefer to Downtown, they had the temporary weight limit on the Rouge River Bridge, yet they put up M-85 detours, but M-85 wasn't even signed at all in that area.