Detroit

By car

Several interstates converge in downtown Detroit. I-75/the Chrysler north of Downtown/the Fisher south of Downtown Freeway North/South runs from Toledo through downtown Detroit to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-94/the Ford Freeway East/West runs from Chicago to Detroit and continues up to Sarnia. I-96 East/West heads from Detroit to Lansing, Michigan. I-696/the Reuther Freeway runs along about 3 mi north of city limit 8 Mile, connecting the eastern suburbs such as St. Clair Shores to Southfield. I-275 connects with the suburb of Livonia. Highways, the Lodge Freeway, M-14, M-23, and the Southfield Freeway are major freeways which interconnect with the Interstates in the Detroit metro area to ease navigation. The Southfield Freeway connects Dearborn to Southfield. The Lodge Freeway, connects Southfield to downtown. Highway M-14 connects Ann Arbor to Detroit via the Jeffries Expressway. Bypassing Ann Arbor, highway M-23 connects I-94 to I-96.

The metro area's major Interstates and freeways were overhauled in preparation the 2006 National Football League Super Bowl XL in Detroit and are in good condition.

As with any major city, traffic during rush hour can make travel really slow. This is especially aggravated during shift changes at the local automotive plants. But due to economic hardships for the region, rush hour traffic lasts less than an hour, and some freeways are clear all day. The Mixing Bowl, I-75/696 interchange, the I-94/Ford Freeway through Detroit, and the Southfield Freeway can be slow in late afternoons. However some freeways can be congested.

The following freeways have chronic congestion in the morning and evening rush:

Northbound I-75

Between 8 Mile and 12 Mile

Southbound I-75

Between Rochester Curve and I-696

Westbound I-696

Dequindre Curve to Woodward; Coolidge Highway out the Mixing Bowl; Drake Rd. to I-96.

Eastbound I-696

Mixing Bowl to Woodward Ave.; Groesbeck Highway to I-94

Westbound I-96

Off of I-696 to Wixom Rd. due in part to the growing urban sprawl in the area

Eastbound I-94

Warren Ave. to Mt. Elliott St.

Westbound I-94

12 Mile to I-696; Connor to Jeffries Freeway

For smaller streets, the Detroit area is laid out in wheel-and-spoke, grid, and strip-farm configuration. This was due to first French development strip farms along the river, early city layout wheel and spoke from the river's edge, followed by the modern North/South grid. Mile roads run east-west, starting at downtown Detroit and increasing as you travel north. These mile roads may change name in different cities, so pay attention. There are also several spoke roads, including Woodward Ave, Michigan Ave, Gratiot Ave, and Grand River Ave. Only in the old downtown business district is the original Washington D.C./L'Enfant-style wheel and spoke layout found it is quite confusing, with several one-way streets added for fun. In areas along the River and Lake St. Clair, the colonial-era French practice of allocating strips of land with water access is seen as main roads parallel the water, and secondary roads perpendicular to it. This is very confusing to non-residents.

Amtrak

11 W Baltimore Ave at Woodward, (http://www.amtrak.com). Train service to and from Chicago on the Wolverine Service 5-6 hours, $25-$50, with many connections in Chicago. Deeply-discounted tickets are often available at Amtrak's Weekly Specials page (http://tickets.amtrak.com...). For travel to the east, a bus connection is available to the Toledo Amtrak station, with trains to New York 21 h, $75-$150 and Washington, D.C. 16 hours, $65-$130, but travelers may find the middle-of-the-night departures unappealing. The train station is located in the New Center area of the city.

By plane

Detroit Metro Airport IATA: DTW (http://www.metroairport.com/) is in Romulus, about 20 minutes west of the city proper, located at the junction between I-275 and I-94 with many nearby hotels. The airport is a major Delta hub and operational headquarters, so it offers direct flights to and from a surprising variety of cities, from Seattle to Osaka. The terminal offers Delta SkyClubs as well as a Westin Hotel and conference center. The midfield McNamara Terminal serves Delta and its SkyTeam partners; all other carriers utilize the new North Terminal. For convenience, the McNamara Terminal and North Terminals have both domestic and international gates in the same terminal. An enclosed light rail system shuttles travelers in the McNamara Terminal. There is a free shuttle between the terminals: look for blue and white vans that say "Westin - Terminal." The airport is one of the most recently modernized in the US, with six major runways.

The quickest way to get to downtown Detroit is to rent a car or take a taxi. Standard cab fare to downtown is $45-$50. You can also get to Detroit using the SMART suburban mass transit bus system (http://www.smartbus.org). Route 125 serves the airport approximately every half hour, beginning alternately at the Smith and McNamara terminals no bus serves both terminals, and takes about 75 min to get downtown. The fare is $2.00. Familiarize yourself with the route map and schedule before you try this–-it is more commonly used by workers at the airport than tourists.

Airport Shuttle and Taxi services are available by reservation. Reservations 9a-9p 313 759-7741. Rates from Detroit Metropolitan Airport to downtown Detroit are $49.00 + $10.00 Airport Fee. Detroit Metropolitan Airport charges a $10.00 fee to all licensed transportation providers this fee to pick up passengers at the airport.