The Traffic Situation in Detroit MI: My Experience and Observations
Living and commuting in Detroit is a unique experience, far from the bustling traffic of big cities like New York or Los Angeles.
The Traffic Landscape in Detroit
As far as major cities go, traffic in Detroit barely exists, unless there’s construction or you find yourself on a narrow one-lane road in places like Ann Arbor or downtown Farmington. Our roads, although not in the best condition, are typically not congested to an unbearable degree. Everyone has plenty of room to speed, which often happens.
Compared to Other Areas
Recent relocation from the Bay Area taught me a valuable lesson: what used to take nearly an hour and a half usually takes just around 15 minutes in Detroit. While there is some slowing during rush hour, Detroit’s road infrastructure is overbuilt for its current population, which stands at under 700,000. This means that traffic is rarely an issue in the city proper, staying above the speed limit about 90% of the time.
Detroit's Rush Hour Traffic
Rush hour traffic in Detroit is comparable to that in other major cities like Chicago or Cleveland. During this period, traffic can become quite congested, making it difficult to progress even when the speed limit is observed.
During regular rush hours, which are typically from 6:30 AM to 9:00 AM and from 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM, traffic can take on a significant slowdown. However, most drivers in Detroit are considerate and tend to flow with the traffic. If everyone is going at 80 miles per hour, it's advisable to keep up that speed.
Surface Streets and Highways
Surface streets in the entire metropolitan area of Detroit rarely slow down, even during rush hour. Contrastingly, freeway traffic is a different story altogether. From 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, the freeways can be rough with heavy traffic. Good weather can mitigate rush hour traffic to a large extent, but in snowy conditions, it can turn into a gridlock.
Driver Behavior and City Infrastructure
The traffic flow is generally good most of the time, but construction and the beginning and end of workdays can cause congestion. Michigan drivers, for the most part, are efficient and focused on their commutes. They tend to maintain the flow of traffic and don’t dawdle.
Some surface roads have traffic lights that are designed to keep traffic moving, but these can often lead to a “movable parking lot” situation during rush hour when lights are poorly timed or obstructed.
Conclusion
While there are unique challenges in Detroit, the traffic situation is far better than in many other cities. Detroiters often prioritize efficiency in their travel, and the road infrastructure suits the city's current population perfectly. If you’ve commuted in places like Chicago or other big cities, you might still prefer Detroit, where traffic is generally not as bad.