93rev2sev
SHO Member
Get oriented! All roads lead downtown (almost).
Detroit's Hi-ways and By-ways are layed out like the spokes of a wheel inside the city and like a grid outside the city. Just about every major thoroughfare will get you down town (or out of he!! if you find yourself there). Here's a list of roads and what they're good for:
East-West:
I-94 - This East-West Highway turns northerly as you get to the city. Alone, it won't take you anywhere you want to go...unless you are trying to get NORTHEAST of the city (think Port Huron). Because it shoots northerly, it doesn't quite make it down town. As you get closer to the city, look for I-96 (the Jeffries) , m10 (the Lodge), I-75 (and I-375) to finish the job.
Michigan Avenue (M-12)- Not a whole lot of attractions on this road (There's about a 2 mile stretch in Dearborn that's very nice and has lots of good shops/restaurants). Eventhough it'll get you down town in a decent amount of time, Michigan Ave. should not be considered a primary thoroughfare unless your destination is in Dearborn.
Ford Road (m53) - This East-West 35-50MPH road starts in the east at I-94 and runs West for-ever. If you are westbound on 94 and want to get back to the hotel, look for this (addison ave, ford road exit).
Mile Roads (also east-west):
Mile roads officially start at 5 mile (Fenkel in Detroit proper).
Detroit's northern border runs along 8-mile Rd. (Base Line Road west of the city)
Unofficially (not called this on the maps, but great for navigating), Michigan Ave can be considered Zero-Mile Road.
Ford Road can be considered One-Mile road.
Warren Ave- Two mile Road
Plymouth Road- Three Mile
Schoolcraft/I-96 - Four Mile
North-South
Telegraph (M-24) - Telegraph is awesome. It runs north-south West of the city -45MPH the whole way (the lights are timed well, go 45 and they'll all turn green in your face). There will be pockets of construction, but it can be considered a good way to skirt Detroit without going THROUGH Detroit. It's also a great jumping on point for any of the east-west roads that take you downtown.
Southfield Fwy. - Between 8-mile in the north and Van Born in the south, this 55mph freeway is pretty much straight as an arrow and will take you the same places Telegraph will. South of Dearborn it takes a left turn and starts heading east-west. There's not much use for Southfield...south of Dearborn.
The other north south roads outside of the city are set up on the mile. If telegraph road and Michigan ave is considered 0 mile, 0 mile...then the mile roads that go north and south are:
Beech Daly
Inkster
Middlebelt
Merriman
Farmington
Levan
Wayne
Newburgh
Then I-275...
Southfield Freeway (m39) is a 55mph (watch your speed in Dearborn, south of the hotel)
Detroit's Hi-ways and By-ways are layed out like the spokes of a wheel inside the city and like a grid outside the city. Just about every major thoroughfare will get you down town (or out of he!! if you find yourself there). Here's a list of roads and what they're good for:
East-West:
I-94 - This East-West Highway turns northerly as you get to the city. Alone, it won't take you anywhere you want to go...unless you are trying to get NORTHEAST of the city (think Port Huron). Because it shoots northerly, it doesn't quite make it down town. As you get closer to the city, look for I-96 (the Jeffries) , m10 (the Lodge), I-75 (and I-375) to finish the job.
Michigan Avenue (M-12)- Not a whole lot of attractions on this road (There's about a 2 mile stretch in Dearborn that's very nice and has lots of good shops/restaurants). Eventhough it'll get you down town in a decent amount of time, Michigan Ave. should not be considered a primary thoroughfare unless your destination is in Dearborn.
Ford Road (m53) - This East-West 35-50MPH road starts in the east at I-94 and runs West for-ever. If you are westbound on 94 and want to get back to the hotel, look for this (addison ave, ford road exit).
Mile Roads (also east-west):
Mile roads officially start at 5 mile (Fenkel in Detroit proper).
Detroit's northern border runs along 8-mile Rd. (Base Line Road west of the city)
Unofficially (not called this on the maps, but great for navigating), Michigan Ave can be considered Zero-Mile Road.
Ford Road can be considered One-Mile road.
Warren Ave- Two mile Road
Plymouth Road- Three Mile
Schoolcraft/I-96 - Four Mile
North-South
Telegraph (M-24) - Telegraph is awesome. It runs north-south West of the city -45MPH the whole way (the lights are timed well, go 45 and they'll all turn green in your face). There will be pockets of construction, but it can be considered a good way to skirt Detroit without going THROUGH Detroit. It's also a great jumping on point for any of the east-west roads that take you downtown.
Southfield Fwy. - Between 8-mile in the north and Van Born in the south, this 55mph freeway is pretty much straight as an arrow and will take you the same places Telegraph will. South of Dearborn it takes a left turn and starts heading east-west. There's not much use for Southfield...south of Dearborn.
The other north south roads outside of the city are set up on the mile. If telegraph road and Michigan ave is considered 0 mile, 0 mile...then the mile roads that go north and south are:
Beech Daly
Inkster
Middlebelt
Merriman
Farmington
Levan
Wayne
Newburgh
Then I-275...
Southfield Freeway (m39) is a 55mph (watch your speed in Dearborn, south of the hotel)
