Detroit - traffic in a bankrupt city

[mc78andrew]

For someone that has never been to Detroit but seen many other rust belt cities, I am curious as to what the traffic situation is like in the city.  There must be some commuters downtown still, so how bad is rush hour?  But how bad could Detroit traffic be given that the population has gone from 2,000,000 to 700,000?  I imagine the suburbs like Birmingham are busy and growing like most American suburbs, but I am curious if there are any areas of obvious over capacity given how the city has changed over the years.  I wonder what it will be like in another 10 years...hard to picture some abandoned freeways, but one has to think it is possible and maybe even the right (although difficult) economic choice.

I am not trying to pile on to what is already a sad situtation with a lot of causes I don't want to bring up.  I just thought detroit's recent filing for bankruptcy makes now a good time to open a thread on how traffic has changed in a city that has changed more than most. 

[colinstu]

I don't think anything has changed.

Sensational headlines and a messed up city budget. Towns don't go POOF during/after bankruptcies.

[mgk920]

OTOH, ROW acquisition for some of those planned but never built routes such as the gap in the Davison (M-8) between the Lodge (M-10) and Jeffries (I-96) freeways should pose little difficulty.



The city does have a very good transport network and access, which is an asset that should be built upon - but crappy governance.

Mike

[bulldog1979]

I was just in Detroit a couple weeks ago while driving in SE Michigan to clinch US 24 in the state. There aren't the traffic jams of Chicago's rush hour, but traffic is still pretty heavy. I was driving southbound on I-75 from Pontiac into Detroit at rush hour, and we had stop-and-go traffic through southern Oakland County into Detroit. it picked up again once I changed over from the Chrysler to the Fisher downtown (the Tigers had a home game) and traffic was flowing but heavy out into the Downriver area.

[jOnstar]

All the major corridors are still pretty heavy going into and leaving the city. I-75, 94, and the Lodge still back up almost as much if not more than the metro region corridors like I-696, 275, and M-39. If you had lived in the area for a long time, you can definitely tell a slight difference than maybe a decade ago in the city limits.

Now Detroit is far beyond broke and bankrupt... but we have some die hard commuters from all over with jobs that may be 40 to 50 miles away from their homes that still use the city routes to pick up another route to work or entertainment. So I believe it would take a lot to have an abandoned freeway. Not saying it couldn't happen, just not likely yet.

[AsphaltPlanet]

yeah, Detroit's freeways aren't going to be abandoned anytime soon.  The sports venues downtown are well used and bring in lots of traffic downtown.  Plus, while the city proper is broke, the suburbs are still alive and well.

[SP Cook]

Yes.

While Detroit (city) has declined halved in population since 1960, the Detroit metro population is about the same, and the unofficial Detroit-Windsor metro (what the Census bureau would call the Detroit metro if not for the fact its in a foreign country) has grown. 

Also remember that the expressways, as in most states, are a state responsibility and the city's lack of money has no significance to their upkeep.

[Henry]

The huge population drop alone would be the reason Detroit has become the world's largest ghost town.

[JREwing78]

Bumped to post a topical editorial about ideas to change the cross-section of major Detroit streets to promote development.

Repurposing excess road capacity could bring new life to Detroit streets
http://www.freep.com/article/20140518/OPINION05/305180021/Roads-traffic-Charleston-preservation-detroit-reimagining-john-gallagher

[thenetwork]

If Detroit did pare down the many "spoke boulevards" which originate from the downtown Detroit "hub" to the suburbs from 7 to 5 lanes would save Detroit a helluva lotta money in terms of annual road maintenance costs in an already cash-strapped city -- about 20% per street.  And, as the columnist says, there would be little traffic impact on said roads since most of these roads are well past the days when the demand for 7-lanes was needed. 

As far as putting light rail down two of the existing 7 lanes, they need to first spend the money on getting enough new businesses & developments along those streets first before spending the money on a light rail which will garner little use.  Remember what town you are in -- a city which revolves around driving cars & trucks, not riding trains or public transportation!

Detroit could definitely use and benefit from a road lane diet.

[ET21]

This is very interesting. Because of how unique Detroit is, this would be a great example of seeing roads retracting instead of expanding. Going from 4 lanes to 3 lanes with the option of adding that 4th lane in down the road again