Pan-Am ( 1954 ) , and BOAC ( 1956 ) , were the first airlines to operate from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport . Also in 1950 GM Truck & Coach introduced new diesel-powered transit coach and during 1951 the Mt. Elliott , Oakland , Trumbull , Clairmount , and Mack lines were converted from streetcars to buses . Streetcar ridership had declined after World War II and a protracted union conflict over single-man operation of a new generation of streetcars included a damaging 59-day strike during 1951 . A decision on the future of streetcars in Detroit gained urgency with the nearing completion of the Edsel Ford Freeway as part of which the Detroit Street Railway Commission was expected to pay $ 70,000 to support streetcar operation over the new Gratiot Avenue Bridge . The Edsel Ford Freeway and The Lodge were completed in the 1950s Northland Center , one of four new suburban shopping malls ( the others were Eastland Center , Southland Center , and Westland Center ) which opened 1954 , was built by J. L. Hudson Company , a major upscale Detroit-based department store chain . The Jefferson Avenue line streetcar line was converted to buses in 1954 , then the Michigan Avenue in line 1955 . The days of PCC service on Gratiot Avenue were numbered as construction of the Edsel Ford Expressway inched closer to Gratiot , the DSR refused the option to operate the PCC streetcars over the new expressway . Thus , Gratiot Avenue PCC service ended on March 25 , 1956 followed by Woodward Avenue two weeks later . An " End of the Line " grand parade and final excursion along Woodward Avenue was held on April 8 , 1956 . By late 1955 , some 186 of Detroit 's streetcars had been sold to Mexico City . The former Detroit PCCs continued to operate in Mexico City until the remaining tram service in that city was discontinued in 1984 . Then on September 19 , 1985 , the remaining ex-Detroit PCCs were destroyed during the 1985 Mexico City earthquake
1985 Mexico City earthquake
1985 Mexico City earthquake
Transportation in metropolitan Detroit