As a cyclist in 1890, Hines formed a
Good Roads organization in Michigan which advocated for the development of county roads.[5] This led to the passage of the County Road Law in 1893,[6] and a change to Michigan's Constitution in 1894.[7] During this time, Hines was president of the
Detroit Wheelmen cycling club,[8] chief consul of
League of American Wheelmen's Michigan Division,[9] and vice-president of the League of American Wheelmen.[8]
Hines was appointed to the Wayne County Board of Roads at its inception in 1906, along with
Henry Ford and Cassius R. Benton.[6] In 1909, Hines was responsible for the construction of the first full mile of concrete road pavement in the world, the stretch of
Woodward Avenue between Six Mile Road and Seven Mile Road in Detroit.[4][5]
Hines originated the concept of painting a line down the center of a road to separate traffic in opposing directions.[10] The idea came to him after watching a leaky milk wagon leave a trail down the street.[5] Painted center lines were first used in 1911 on River Road in
Trenton, in Wayne County.[2] This simple idea has since been recognized as one of the most important single traffic safety devices in the history of highway transportation.[4][5]Snow removal from public roads was another of Hines' innovations.[5]
Hines, along with
William E. Metzger and others, formed the
Detroit Automobile Club in 1916.[11] Hines was a national leader in the concept of landscaping highway rights-of-way. He was instrumental in movements to beautify highways by eliminating power lines and billboards.[12] In the 1920s, Hines was a leader in the movement to acquire land along the
Huron River and the
Rouge River for the purpose of converting them into parks.[13] In 1937, the Middle Rouge Parkway was renamed the Edward N. Hines Parkway, in his honor.[12]
Honors and recognition
In 1935, Hines was awarded the George S. Bartlett Award for outstanding contribution to highway progress.[14]
He was later inducted into the Michigan Transportation Hall of Honor in 1972.[15]
and in 2011, Hines received the
Paul Mijksenaar Design for Function Award.[15]
^Michigan Department of Transportation (n.d.).
"Hines Dr. / Old M-14". History & Culture. Michigan Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
^National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
"George S. Bartlett Award". National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Retrieved July 17, 2018.