Anyone ever done a road trip from Detroit to Chicago on US-12

[Gene Keady's Hair]

I've got nothing to do this Saturday and have always been curious about seeing this route. Would it be worth it or is it a real miserable drive?

[J Schmoov]

your momma

[Tom Hagen]

if you are that bored come over and mow my lawn....i also need some gutters cleaned out.

[MSURed]

I love that I'm not the only person who has thought of that It sounds fun. I've only gone as far as Quincy, about 2/5 of the way, and it was at least a little bit like traveling back in time. Dunno if you really need to start in Detroit though...the first hour is pretty normal

[Madmartigan]

why not use the money you would waste on gas to buy a Cornballer? it's fun, makes delicious treats and it's completely safe.

[Babies Need Tickets]

I've thought of doing this too, though not from Detroit. Where exactly does US-12 bring you into Chicago?

[MSURed]

Originally Posted by Madmartigan

why not use the money you would waste on gas to buy a Cornballer? it's fun, makes delicious treats and it's completely safe.

Would he really waste that much money? He'd be going slower than on the freeway, which is supposed to save gas Michigan is a little more direct than 94, I'd say. And there aren't a whole lot of lights after a certain point.

Now TIME, that he'd definitely be wasting Well by most people's standards.

[MSURed]

Originally Posted by Babies Need Tickets

I've thought of doing this too, though not from Detroit. Where exactly does US-12 bring you into Chicago?

Um, I may be in the 10% here, but I was always told that taking Michigan straight through got you to...Michigan Avenue

[Babies Need Tickets]

Originally Posted by MSURed

Um, I may be in the 10% here, but I was always told that taking Michigan straight through got you to...Michigan Avenue

I am guessing that's incorrect, simply because Michigan Avenue isn't named after the state, but rather for Lake Michigan, which used to be immediately east of the street. (What is now between Michigan Avenue and Lake Michigan is landfill, much of it done by a guy from Flint, Michigan.)

[wingfanjim]

Originally Posted by Gene Keady's Hair

I've got nothing to do this Saturday and have always been curious about seeing this route. Would it be worth it or is it a real miserable drive?

Ask this question to an old person. I'm sure PLENTY of them took US-12 to chicago prior to the expressways being built.

[gw73]

They have a golden retriever that picks up your money and returns your change at one of the stations.

Lots of old towns and houses, the route was the old stage route before cars..

[wingfanjim]

Originally Posted by gw73

They have a golden retriever that picks up your money and returns your change at one of the stations.

Lots of old towns and houses, the route was the old stage route before cars..

Be sure to stop at the wild west tourist trap in the Irish Hills on your way.

[AbbottHallAbsyntheDrinker]

US-12 Heritage Trail

[TrueGreenSpartan]

I've been thinking about doing the same kind of thing but skipping 96 and taking Grand River all the way to EL one of these days when I'm headed back or even better all the way across the state some time when we have to go visit the Fiance's family.

[AASpartan]

After turning off the U.S. Route 45 routing in Hickory Hills, U.S. Routes 12/20 run east on 95th Street for 16.31 miles (26.24 km) — combined with a concurrency with U.S. Route 41, this segment runs for an additional 18.02 miles (29.00 km) into the state of Indiana.


The 95th Street portion of U.S. 12/20 is a four-lane undivided arterial surface street through the southern suburbs of Palos Hills, Bridgeview, Oak Lawn and Evergreen Park. It serves the main commercial areas of these communities and the Chicago south side neighborhoods of Beverly, Washington Heights, Roseland, Burnside, Pullman, Calumet Heights, South Deering and East Side.


In Bridgeview, U.S. 12/20 has an interchange with Interstate 294, and then intersects Illinois Route 43 (Harlem Avenue). In Oak Lawn, it intersects Illinois Route 50 (Cicero Avenue). Further east, in Chicago, U.S. 12/20 nearly intersects Illinois Route 1 (Halsted Street); Illinois 1 technically terminates at Interstate 57 a half mile (.8 km) south. U.S. 12/20 then has an interchange with Interstate 94 (Dan Ryan Expressway) just north of the Interstate 57/94 split. Shortly after bridging the Calumet River, U.S. 12/20 join with U.S. 41.


The concurrent U.S. 12/20/41 combination runs south on Ewing Avenue beneath the Chicago Skyway, narrowing from two northbound and southbound lanes to one northbound and one southbound lane before turning onto Indianapolis Boulevard, a six-lane divided highway. At 104th Street, there is a traffic light for a relocated offramp (from 106th Street) from the Chicago Skyway to Indianapolis Boulevard. The southbound onramp to the Indiana Toll Road is still located at 106th Street.


The Illinois portion of U.S. 12/20/41 terminates literally beneath the I-90 bridge over Indianapolis Boulevard; this is also where the Chicago Skyway becomes the Indiana Toll Road.

[Madmartigan]

Originally Posted by MSURed

Would he really waste that much money? He'd be going slower than on the freeway, which is supposed to save gas Michigan is a little more direct than 94, I'd say. And there aren't a whole lot of lights after a certain point.

Now TIME, that he'd definitely be wasting Well by most people's standards.

wasting time that could have been spent cornballing...

[MSURed]

Damn you AA, I just did it the hard way, but google-mapping it and tracing it to 95th Street

Anyway, great to know i've been lied to all these years

[PRStoetzer]

I've driven a good portion of this route in southern/southwest Michigan. No real spectacular views, but it is much more peaceful than the freeway.

[16fan]

Originally Posted by gw73

They have a golden retriever that picks up your money and returns your change at one of the stations.

Lots of old towns and houses, the route was the old stage route before cars..

It was Called the Saulk Trail. Saline also has a museum with Info about the stage route.

[SpartanDan97]

Make sure you stop in Allen "the antique capital"

[Omage]

U.S.-12 construction to work around MIS traffic | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Make sure to take time for

Cherry Creek Cellars Schoolhouse

[SpartanDan97]

Originally Posted by 16fan

It was Called the Saulk Trail. Saline also has a museum with Info about the stage route.

Sauk

[SMB Dad]

George Cantor, who was a travel writer for the Detroit News a few years back, did a book called "Old Roads of the Midwest", which is a travel book about the US Federal Highways and what you can find on them. US-12 is one of the chapters. It was published by UM Press. (NTTAWWT) Might be available in bookstores or libraries.