The early 1900s found the first mile of concrete pavement in the United States on Woodward Avenue, and the tide of transportation has moved forward ever since.
Population: 1,514,000
Area: 360.6 sq km (138.7 sq mi)
Ethnic composition: 21.6% white;75.7% black; 0.4% American Indian, Eskimo, Aleut; 0.8%, Asian and Pacific Islander; 1.5% other
Nicknames: Arsenal of Democracy, The Motor City, Motown
Population: 3,785,000
Description: City and suburbs in three-county area
World population rank1: 66
Percentage of national population2: 1.4%
Average yearly growth rate: 0.3%
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The main arteries that frame and connect the city include the famous avenues of Woodward, Jefferson, Michigan, Grand River, and Gratiot. One of the better-known boulevards is named after Rosa Parks, a civil rights activist who settled in Detroit. With industrialization exploding, the late 1920s found tunnel and bridge access, commencing with the opening of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge. Easy mobility has always been a priority for the city's visionaries. Public transportation by taxi, bus, train, and trolley is readily available.