My City September 2022

Over the next two years, the Saginaw St. restoration project – replacing 750,000 bricks –will be done block-by-block from the Flint River to Court Street.

1897 Mayor Milton C. Pettibone began the process of paving the street with bricks.

1899 Hugh A. Crawford erects the famous Saginaw St. arches.

2022 Due to start this fall, the Saginaw Street Restoration Project will take the road to its next form.

The brick project was finished during George R. Gold’s administration. 1898

President Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration (WPA) began the Saginaw St. restoration. 1936

closed in 1937. (Indeed, many bricks carry the Nelsonville stamp; but were they the originals or used during the later re-pavement project?) In 1936, President Roosevelt ’s Works Progress Ad ministration (WPA) came to town to begin the Sag inaw St. restoration. Bricks were pulled up and some were reused, yet most were discarded. e endeavor used over 750,000 bricks and cost today’s equivalent of $3 million to complete. During reconstruction, the WPA removed the rail system and Flint contracted with Laro Coal & Iron to purchase them for $13.50 a ton. e railway cars were replaced by General Motors Electric Trolley Coach Service. Since then, Saginaw St. has existed much the same with slight improve ments, patching and consolidation (bricks were removed from side streets).

Due to start this fall, the Saginaw Street Resto ration Project will take the road to its next form. At a cost of nearly $5.8 million over two years, the project will remove the bricks in Downtown intersections and replace them with stamped pavement (for better stability) while re-working bricks over the rest of the stretch. In addition to street resurfacing, improve ments to around 70% of the sidewalks are planned. Just as in the original project in 1898, the process will be done one block at a time. Saginaw Street has remained a path of signi cance during human history in the Americas; it has been a path to greater things, a path of community and for Flintstones, no matter its construction, the road home. Whatever the future holds in store for Flint, the bricks of Saginaw Street will take us there. ®

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