All roads lead Back to the Bricks®. Back to the Bricks attracts over 500,000 car show enthusiasts annually to Genesee County to celebrate our love of motor vehicles, and the area’s historic role in the automotive industry. Tune-up Parties and Promo Tours generate enthusiasm in advance of the Main Event which provides a showcase for classic, custom, and collector vehicles of all kinds. During the week, Flint, birthplace of “America’s Sports Car”, proudly hosts a National Reunion for Corvette aficionados. Music, food vendors, and family-friendly activities add to the festive atmosphere.
The iconic bricks on Saginaw Street, along with the Weather Ball are part of Flint’s identity and history. The bricks on Saginaw are being replaced in a two-year project that began Monday, April 10. Mayor Sheldon Neeley presented plans for the historic restoration at a press conference that same day.
Phase one, already underway, started with the section of Saginaw Street from Court Street to Third Street. Traffic is being re-routed to Harrison for northbound, and Beech Street for southbound travel. Construction will be paused for The Crim Festival of Races and Back to The Bricks, both of which occur in August. After Labor Day, the project will resume, according to city officials in an April 10 press conference.
The second phase will restore Saginaw Street from Third Street to Second Street and begin in September. Phase three begins in the spring of 2024 and will renovate Second Street to First Street. The final phase will start in September 2024 and will tackle Saginaw from First Street to the River Trail Crossing next to the University of Michigan -Flint Pavilion, according to a city press release.
The bricks on Saginaw Street were originally laid in 1898. According to a May 5, 2022 Flint Journal article, the Works Progress Administration (WPA) removed the bricks in 1936 and re-laid them over new concrete, using 40,000 hours of labor. At that time, the cost was $142,950. There are 750,000 bricks on the street — and 400,000 of them will be new.
In May of 2023, Flint City Council approved contracts with LA Construction of Flushing and civil engineering company Wade Trim for the $5 million it is costing today. Part of the current expense includes purchase of special bricks manufactured to withstand the pressure of heavy traffic.The clay brick pavers are kiln-fired at extremely high temperatures, yielding high compressive strength that can withstand the pressure of vehicle traffic and are impervious to water. Flint’s historic section of downtown roadway remains an iconic symbol of the City, anchoring annual events like the Back to the Bricks car show, Crim Festival of Races, and Bikes on the Bricks motorcycle event.
The main event week begins at Shea Automotive with a Cruisn’ Car Show. Awards will go out to Top 5 Vehicles voted by the people, and 1 overall Best in Show Winner selected by Back to the Bricks. Tuesday kicks off with “Bricks Flicks” a family-oriented party at the nostalgic US-23 Drive-In theater on Fenton Road.
During the five-day extravaganza, excited crowds line the streets for the “Rolling Cruises” as the parade route stretches from the “red bricks” of Saginaw Street in downtown Flint to the city of Grand Blanc. On Friday, there will be a car show and a Live Cruise “N” Concert in the Flat Lot off of Saginaw Street starting at 6:30pm in Downtown Flint.
Thousands will stroll the brick streets on Saturday to admire vehicles of every age and description, take pictures, buy souvenirs, and enjoy the fun. Beginning with the Opening Ceremony, you will want to be there to experience the excitement, see the amazing car show, check out the automotive vendors, and taste the delicious food that is synonymous with Back to the Bricks®, one of the best Classic Car Events in the Nation.
One of the sights you can enjoy Friday, August 18th at 3pm is the Flint Scottish Pipe Band! We look forward to getting Back to the Brick and celebrating Flint’s manufacturing roots in this fun and meaningful event.
Works Cited
“Home.” Back to the Bricks, backtothebricks.org/. Accessed 14 Aug. 2023.
https://www.facebook.com/dom.adams. “Historic Photos of Flint’s Famous Bricks: Saginaw Street Repaved 75 Years Ago.” Mlive, 6 Nov. 2014, www.mlive.com/news/flint/2014/11/see_the_history_of_the_bricks.html. Accessed 14 Aug. 2023.
Ireland-Curtis, Elizabeth . “Iconic Saginaw Street Brick Replacement Underway; $5 Million Project to Continue through 2024.” East Village Magazine, 25 Apr. 2023, www.eastvillagemagazine.org/2023/04/25/iconic-saginaw-street-brick-replacement-underway-5-million-project-to-continue-through-2024/#:~:text=The%20bricks%20on%20Saginaw%20Street. Accessed 14 Aug. 2023.
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