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Structure, Grosse Ile, since 1929

Parke Lane Road, Thorofare Canal Bridge

Photographed standing in 2010

Deck and east side of Park Ln, Thorofare Canal Bridge, Grosse Ile MI, 2010 Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Opened
1929
Style
concrete arch bridge
Standing
97 years

Designed by Wayne County Road Commission

The Parke Lane Road, Thorofare Canal Bridge has stood on Parke Lane Rd. over Thorofare Ch. in Grosse Ile since 1929, 97 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.

On the map

More photos of Parke Lane Road, Thorofare Canal Bridge

Side of Park Ln, Thorofare Canal Bridge, Grosse Ile MI, 2010 Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
West side of bridge deck, Park Ln Thorofare Canal Bridge, Grosse Ile MI, 2010 Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Plaque on Park Ln, Thorofare Canal Bridge, Grosse Ile MI, 2010 Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What is there now

Standing

We checked building permits, sales, listings and the city's blight and demolition files on October 24, 2026. Nothing new at this address in the last two years.

The story

By Victoria Jackson, Editor in Chief Updated

The Parke Lane Road, Thorofare Canal Bridge opened in 1929, in the years the auto age reached every town around Detroit.

Wayne County Road Commission drew the plans, working in concrete arch bridge.

The National Register of Historic Places listed it in 2000.

Next time you are nearby, stop at Parke Lane Rd. over Thorofare Ch and look up.

The Parke Lane Road, Thorofare Canal Bridge is a bridge located on Parke Lane Road over the Thorofare Canal in Grosse Ile, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Timeline

  1. 1929 Built Designed by Wayne County Road Commission
  2. 2000 Listed on the National Register February 4, 2000
  3. 2026 Today 97 years and still standing

Where it is

Parke Lane Rd. over Thorofare Ch., Grosse Ile

On this map

  1. Parke Lane Road, Thorofare Canal Bridge This place

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Who made it

Wayne County Road Commission
Photo: This file is from the Mechanical Curator collection, a set of over 1 million images scanned from out-of-copyright books and released to Flic, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Wayne County Road Commission

Architecture firm. Designed Fort Street, Pleasant Street and Norfolk & Western Railroad Viaduct (1928) and 5 more in Metro Detroit

Also by Wayne County Road Commission

Photo credits

Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.

  1. Deck and east side of Park Ln, Thorofare Canal Bridge, Grosse Ile MI, 2010 Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. Side of Park Ln, Thorofare Canal Bridge, Grosse Ile MI, 2010 Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. West side of bridge deck, Park Ln Thorofare Canal Bridge, Grosse Ile MI, 2010 Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. Plaque on Park Ln, Thorofare Canal Bridge, Grosse Ile MI, 2010 Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

Facts only, gathered from these sources. The story above is written by Rebuild Detroit. Every photo names its author and license where it appears.