 
Ghetto_butterfly
Member
Username: Ghetto_butterfly
Post Number: 787
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - 9:16 pm: |    |
In less than one week I was stuck twice in a gridlock traffic jam downtown because of the Winter Blast event which had Woodward closed from State to Larned. Both times in very bad road conditions due to snowy weather. It took me just as long to drive from Novi to downtown than it took me to cross it. This is nothing new, it happens every year several times. I'm happy for all the events taking place in the city, attracting crowd and generating business but every times this happens, I wonder about the poor planning. They just shut down a major traffic artery - for days - but nothing is being done to relief the congestions. Maybe police directing traffic and thus avoiding the gridlocks at intersections might help? Maybe planning the set up and tear-down in a more effective way so it won't take several business days? Just wondering. The worst are the busses, they always clog up streets in the very worst way, in my opinion busses are ok for major avenues like Jefferson or Michigan, but NOT downtown. The infrastructure is just not made for it. I know, we don't have anything else but for mass transit downtown there should be elevated or underground transportation, the busses have bothered, annoyed and scared me for years (since they seem oblivious to common traffic rules). Any ideas to prevent/help this mess in the future? I'm sure many besides me have been affected by this. |
Detroitrise
Member
Username: Detroitrise
Post Number: 1564
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - 9:24 pm: | |
Just find another route. I've only found the delays on State, Grand River and Griswold (and to a lesser extent, Congress and Larned).
(Message edited by detroitrise on February 12, 2008) |
Ghetto_butterfly
Member
Username: Ghetto_butterfly
Post Number: 788
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 12, 2008 - 9:36 pm: | |
That's not my point, finding another route. For one, once you turn right from Grand River onto Woodward - without prior warning up until then that there is road closure, which there never is, then you're stuck. My point is that there should far better planning. Many people from out of town wouldn't even know an alternative route. |
Transitrider
Member
Username: Transitrider
Post Number: 42
Registered: 01-2007
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 12:04 am: | |
So I'm sitting on the 53 stuck in gridlocked traffic downtown. Woodward traffic was redirected to Griswold, which was like a parking lot. The worst are the cars, they always clog up streets in the very worst way, in my opinion cars are ok for major avenues like Jefferson or Michigan, but NOT downtown. The infrastructure is just not made for it. Park in a structure, walk or take the elevated PeopleMover to where you're going. Cars have bothered, annoyed and scared me for years (since they seem oblivious to common traffic rules). There was this one car from Novi...
Just teasing, GB 
But seriously, I think it's been the weather more than anything. The summer detours for Jazzfest and other events close the same streets around Campus Martius and it's not this bad. Woodward jams up like this whenever there's a lot of snow even when the streets are open. But just remember it'd be worse if every one of those bus riders was in a single-occupancy vehicle or a cab. I certainly could have been one of them, but I rarely drive downtown and take the bus daily. The gridlock would have been one car worse, one quarter of a block longer, which becomes one traffic light cycle longer. Maybe try the park and ride at 696/Southfield and let SMART drive you. Enjoy a book, MP3 player, or nap. If you must drive, consider parking along the People Mover loop and taking that to your destination. The parking is cheaper and you'll save the time not in that snowstorm traffic.
Drive safe and take it easy it out there. |
Wolverine
Member
Username: Wolverine
Post Number: 421
Registered: 04-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 12:13 am: | |
I love gridlock downtown. It makes it look busy. |
Digitalvision
Member
Username: Digitalvision
Post Number: 558
Registered: 11-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 12:40 am: | |
What I find is that if I know there is something going on downtown, I usually find a garage near a PM station and get where I need to go that way.
For instance, with the c-mart area closed, I would park at the Opera House and hop on at the Broadway stop to get to the financial district (or, if it's nice enough, hoof it in, but take the PM out).
And yes, downtown wasn't designed for cars - it was designed for horses - hence all the crazyness with the layout that drives people bonkers.
If I had a dollar to give to Lowell for every time I hear someone complain about the Library St./Grand River/Farmer tri-intersection; or how many times I've heard of pedestrians turning into speed bumps at the Gratiot/Broadway/Randolph intersection, Lowell would have enough money to be buying the GAR or something and turning it into the DYes Clubhouse.
The intersections downtown just duff in some places and unless you're a veteran, I can understand why people get confused. |
Mackinaw
Member
Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 4433
Registered: 02-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 1:07 am: | |
I never complain about downtown gridlock. There is almost always an 'out' route so that you don't "need" to sit in one place, and it normally doesn't go on for too long at a time.
Plus, I agree with Wolverine that it adds a sense of busy-ness, although I'd rather see a commensurate amount of people walking the streets. |
Alley
Member
Username: Alley
Post Number: 22
Registered: 02-2008
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 1:15 am: | |
it's NEVER EVER NEARLY as bad as NY or LA (for example)••• We really have it easy--you just have to be creative with your routes! |
Mccarus
Member
Username: Mccarus
Post Number: 7
Registered: 10-2006
| | Posted on Saturday, February 16, 2008 - 8:11 pm: | |
This is retarded if you are worrying about the commute from downtown to Novi. Don't live in Novi. It's nowhere. Live downtown. Place the blame on our public officials who have failed to bring subways and commuter trains to the motor city. Get those built and you'll never have these concerns again. |
Gnome
Member
Username: Gnome
Post Number: 751
Registered: 08-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, February 16, 2008 - 10:13 pm: | |
that's Mccarus 3:16 ...
Jeeze, pal, unbunch that thong, it's cuttin off the circulation. |
Detroitrise
Member
Username: Detroitrise
Post Number: 1595
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, February 16, 2008 - 10:26 pm: | |
"Jeeze, pal, unbunch that thong, it's cuttin off the circulation."
|
Ghetto_butterfly
Member
Username: Ghetto_butterfly
Post Number: 789
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Saturday, February 16, 2008 - 10:48 pm: | |
Please, get real. I DO live in Detroit, about 2 miles east of downtown. Have been for more than 6 years so I'm not new to downtown closures and get mad every time the city's poor planning for events causes these insane gridlock traffic jams. I'm just trying to get home - from Novi, where I work (not by choice I might add) but once you're stuck there is no way to "seek alternative routes" as some well-meaning posters suggested. |
Detroitrise
Member
Username: Detroitrise
Post Number: 1596
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Saturday, February 16, 2008 - 10:54 pm: | |
I really don't get your point now.
What are you doing in Downtown if you live near Belle Isle trying to get home from Novi?
Just take I-96 to I-75 to bypass the CBD. But since they're working near the Ambassador Bridge, then fine another route on the expressway from I-96 (Chrysler I-75, Lodge to I-94/I-75).
(Message edited by detroitrise on February 16, 2008) |
Ghetto_butterfly
Member
Username: Ghetto_butterfly
Post Number: 790
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 12:05 pm: | |
*sigh* Just for your benefit, I will explain why I'm going through downtown on my way home even if I should be taking 96 east to Jefferson. About once a week I have meetings at my customer's facility at Detroit Diesel which is on Outer Drive and Plymouth in Detroit/Redford. We set these meetings either first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon because it's on my way. From there I usually take Plymouth to Grand River to downtown and home because I avoid metro Detroit freeways whenever I can because I value my life and sanity too much and want to avoid the freaks and idiots out there as much as possible (I used to take this way every day when I worked there, before I got forced-transferred to Novi). I don't take this route when I know there will be Woodward closures due to events at CM but I didn't think it would take OVER a week for set up and tear-down of the Winter Blast event. Also, my point is that I wish the city would finally get better at planning for downtown events and take precautions to avoid this type of situation. But then again, I might be delusional for thinking that the city might improve in anything anytime. Just a few more months and I'm OUTTA here (of the US altogether, thank God). |
Detroitrise
Member
Username: Detroitrise
Post Number: 1599
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 12:10 pm: | |
I know where Detroit Diesel is, near I-96 and Telegraph.
So you basically put yourself in that position due to your fear of expressways then complain about it. GOTCHA!
See ya! Don't let the door hit you on the way out!
(Message edited by detroitrise on February 17, 2008) |
Gannon
Member
Username: Gannon
Post Number: 11641
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 1:50 pm: | |
It's no fear of expressways, it is an awareness of idiots who drive them.
G-b chooses to drive the surface streets, as MOST of us who live downtown learn to do...because the best way to get jammed up down here is to be in the concrete canyons awash in red brake lights...knowing that seventy-five feet UP that embankment you could take that next right turn and be in your warm home while holding your breath.
During standard rush hours, Grand River is WAY more pleasant to drive than the Jefferies, and if you time the lights...very predictable.
She is specifically saying that the city does a piss-poor job of traffic management during events, and she's right. |
Ghetto_butterfly
Member
Username: Ghetto_butterfly
Post Number: 791
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 2:36 pm: | |
Thanks Gannon, you nailed it |
Ray
Member
Username: Ray
Post Number: 1074
Registered: 06-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 8:17 pm: | |
Oh my god. Give the man a break. He lives in the city (God bless him) and he's raising a legitmate point. |
Detroitrise
Member
Username: Detroitrise
Post Number: 1607
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 8:44 pm: | |
I'm still having trouble seeing the point.
I do recall seeing Detour signs posted.
However, back to MY point:
I also live in the city and idiot drivers are everywhere, you can't avoid them.
However, why would you take a route that you know is usually congested during the 9-5 anyway is still crazy to me.
Even if you did take Grand River, you could have very well avoided Downtown altogether (get on I-75 or another surface street before entering downtown).
You still basically drove into a traffic jam that you knew about. I don't understand why that's anyone else's problem.
I just can imagine what Detroiters would do if we had real congestion in Downtown.
(Message edited by detroitrise on February 17, 2008) |
Ghetto_butterfly
Member
Username: Ghetto_butterfly
Post Number: 792
Registered: 09-2004
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 9:21 pm: | |
Just for the record - I'm a She
As Gannon pointed out, most surface streets such as Grand River are less congested and more pleasant to drive on, especially during rush hour and very bad weather as was the case both times within one week I took this route. I'll take them anytime over freeways. And AGAIN, I wasn't aware that the downtown closure was still going on or else I would have taken another route. I really thought that after 2 full nights and 2 full days they would have managed to finalize the event and reopen Woodward. Silly me for being so naive as to think the city might actually be efficient for once, both in event planning and traffic control. |
Detroitrise
Member
Username: Detroitrise
Post Number: 1608
Registered: 09-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, February 17, 2008 - 9:28 pm: | |
"Silly me for being so naive as to think the city might actually be efficient for once, both in event planning and traffic control."
Yeah, pretty much.
However, the thing is, I'm sure you knew the Winter Blast was occurring on that date AND I'm sure you knew the closure routes after 2 years with your close proximity to the CBD. |