If you’ve ever gotten directions from a metro-Detroiter, you have probably heard a ‘9 Mile’ or a ‘10 Mile Road’ mentioned. Or maybe even the most famous of them all: 8 Mile. But where did all these boring road names come from? And how did they become a kind of cultural shorthand in the region? 

GUESTS: 

Paul Sewick, amateur Detroit historian and part-time Lyft driver. Check out his blog Detroit Urbanism here.

Jeff Horner, professor in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at Wayne State University

Jamon Jordan, Detroit historian and lecturer in history at the University of Michigan Residential College. 

Cover photo courtesy of the Archives of Michigan 

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:


Online Submission Form


Call us: 734-764-7840


Email us: onhand@michiganpublic.org

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

If you&rsquo;ve ever gotten directions from a metro-Detroiter, you have probably heard a &lsquo;9 Mile&rsquo; or a &lsquo;10 Mile Road&rsquo; mentioned. Or maybe even the most famous of them all: 8 Mile. But where did all these boring road names come from? And how did they become a kind of cultural shorthand in the region?&nbsp;
GUESTS:&nbsp;
Paul Sewick, amateur Detroit historian and part-time Lyft driver. Check out his blog Detroit Urbanism <a href="https://detroiturbanism.blogspot.com/">here.</a>
Jeff Horner, professor in the Department of Urban Studies and Planning at Wayne State University
Jamon Jordan, Detroit historian and lecturer in history at the University of Michigan Residential College.&nbsp;
Cover photo courtesy of the Archives of Michigan&nbsp;
<hr>
Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.michiganpublic.org/podcast/on-hand/2025-08-14/submit-your-questions">Online Submission Form</a>
</li>
<li>
Call us: 734-764-7840
</li>
<li>
Email us: onhand@michiganpublic.org
</li>
</ul>
If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work:&nbsp;<a href="http://michiganpublic.org/podfund">michiganpublic.org/podfund</a>

Ever wondered why we call ourselves “Michiganders”? Or why we say “pop” instead of “soda”? Or, seriously, how many people need to be rescued from Sleeping Bear Dunes every year? That’s why we’re bringing you a new podcast - On Hand - to answer all your questions about what makes our state so special.

To share a story or submit your questions, head to michiganpublic.org/onhand

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

Ever wondered why we call ourselves &ldquo;Michiganders&rdquo;? Or why we say &ldquo;pop&rdquo; instead of &ldquo;soda&rdquo;? Or, seriously, how many people need to be rescued from Sleeping Bear Dunes every year? That&rsquo;s why we&rsquo;re bringing you a new podcast - On Hand - to answer all your questions about what makes our state so special.
To share a story or submit your questions, head to <a href="https://www.michiganpublic.org/podcast/on-hand">michiganpublic.org/onhand</a>
If you like what you hear on the pod, consider <a href="https://michiganpublic.org/podfund">supporting our work</a>: michiganpublic.org/podfund

On Hand

Why does Michigan have Mile roads?

Many of us have a road that's more than a line on a map—it's a memory. Maybe it’s the street you grew up on or the dirt road that leads you to a cottage Up North. 

For listener Tom Topolski, it’s Lake Michigan Drive.

GUEST: 


Thomas Topolski, Hudsonville resident

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:


Online Submission Form


Call us: 734-764-7840


Email us: onhand@michiganpublic.org

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

PHOTO CREDIT: City of Grand Rapids Archives and Records Center

Many of us have a road that's more than a line on a map&mdash;it's a memory. Maybe it&rsquo;s the street you grew up on or the dirt road that leads you to a cottage Up North.&nbsp;
For listener Tom Topolski, it&rsquo;s Lake Michigan Drive.
GUEST:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>
Thomas Topolski, Hudsonville resident
</li>
</ul>
Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.michiganpublic.org/podcast/on-hand/2025-08-14/submit-your-questions">Online Submission Form</a>
</li>
<li>
Call us: 734-764-7840
</li>
<li>
Email us: onhand@michiganpublic.org
</li>
</ul>
If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work:&nbsp;<a href="https://michiganpublic.secureallegiance.com/wuom/WebModule/Donate.aspx?P=PODCAST&amp;PAGETYPE=PLG&amp;CHECK=7n6oFUxVPW20BxRi5EeOVezWDeZ%2beA1M">michiganpublic.org/podfund</a>
PHOTO CREDIT: City of Grand Rapids Archives and Records Center

Your Stories: Summertime memories of Lake Michigan Drive

We recently weighed the costs and benefits of Michigan's bottle bill. Today, a listener shares just how much the 10-cent bottle deposit meant to Central Michigan University students in the 70s.

GUESTS:


Andrea Haupt, listener
Michael Lehnert, listener

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:
Online Submission Form
Call us: 734-764-7840
Email us: onhand@michiganpublic.org

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

We recently <a href="https://www.michiganpublic.org/podcast/on-hand/2026-05-01/is-michigans-10-cent-bottle-deposit-worth-it">weighed the costs and benefits of Michigan's bottle bill</a>. Today, a listener shares just how much the 10-cent bottle deposit meant to Central Michigan University students in the 70s.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li>
Andrea Haupt, listener
</li>
<li>Michael Lehnert, listener</li>
</ul>
Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.michiganpublic.org/podcast/on-hand/2025-08-14/submit-your-questions">Online Submission Form</a></li>
<li>Call us: 734-764-7840</li>
<li>Email us: onhand@michiganpublic.org</li>
</ul>
If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work:&nbsp;<a href="http://michiganpublic.org/podfund">michiganpublic.org/podfund</a>

Your Stories: The pop can economy at CMU

Is it really worth our time to haul returnables to the store for just 10 cents each? And is it worth it for Michigan's recycling industry to maintain a bottle deposit system when we already have curbside recycling?
See Shelie Miller's "Comprehensive Ealuation of MIchigan's Bottle Deposit System" here
Read more from the Container Recycling Institute here
See a Reloop and CRI study about the impact of bottle deposits on beverage sales here

GUESTS:

Susan Collins, president of the Container Recycling Institute
Shelie Miller, Jonathan W. Bulkley Collegiate Professor of Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan; co-director, Center for Sustainable Systems

Cover photo by April Van Buren

Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:


Online Submission Form


Call us: 734-764-7840


Email us: onhand@michiganpublic.org

If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work: michiganpublic.org/podfund

Is it really worth our time to haul returnables to the store for just 10 cents each? And is it worth it for Michigan's recycling industry to maintain a bottle deposit system when we already have curbside recycling?
<ul>
<li>See Shelie Miller's <a href="https://backend.production.deepblue-documents.lib.umich.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/ed82f581-6b9a-411d-b86a-041382fe81a0/content">"Comprehensive Ealuation of MIchigan's Bottle Deposit System" here</a></li>
<li>Read more from the <a href="https://www.container-recycling.org/">Container Recycling Institute here</a></li>
<li>See a Reloop and CRI <a href="https://www.reloopplatform.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Reloop-Impact-of-DRS-Report.pdf">study about the impact of bottle deposits on beverage sales here</a></li>
</ul>
GUESTS: 
<ul>
<li>Susan Collins, president of the Container Recycling Institute</li>
<li>Shelie Miller, Jonathan W. Bulkley Collegiate Professor of Sustainable Systems at the University of Michigan; co-director, Center for Sustainable Systems</li>
</ul>
Cover photo by April Van Buren
<hr>
Want to submit a question to On Hand? Do it here:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.michiganpublic.org/podcast/on-hand/2025-08-14/submit-your-questions">Online Submission Form</a>
</li>
<li>
Call us: 734-764-7840
</li>
<li>
Email us: onhand@michiganpublic.org
</li>
</ul>
If you like what you hear on the pod, consider supporting our work:&nbsp;<a href="http://michiganpublic.org/podfund">michiganpublic.org/podfund</a>

Why does Michigan have Mile roads?

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