Going around Detroit

[meg]

we are making a trip to mackinaw city Mi this August coming from Northeast Georgia. We want to stay away from going around Detroit. Any suggestions of an easier and less stressful route?

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by meg

we are making a trip to mackinaw city Mi this August coming from Northeast Georgia. We want to stay away from going around Detroit. Any suggestions of an easier and less stressful route?

Exit 75 south of Toledo. Take US23 north and pick 75 up again in Flint. 23 is a significantly better road than 75 from Toledo to I275 which would be your other option. Traffic thru Ann Arbor can be a bit heavy during the afternoon rush period. You can just stay in the right lane and get thru in about 20 minutes


Taking 23 takes you past the big Cabell's in Dundee if you are looking to do some shopping.

[Kimber45]

Roads are awful everywhere in Michigan not just Detroit. If you make it back not being swallowed by a pot hole you will be lucky. Traffic in Detroit is nothing to worry about if you avoid rush hour.

[formerFR]

we've been thru Detroit several times and never had a problem, what's your issue?

[SailorSam20500]

Practically speaking, taking the US 23 route takes at least 20 minutes off the drive and is about 30 miles shorter.

Subjective reason, one of our local TV lawyers has an advert running that claims Detroit is the worst place in the US for traffic accidents.

[DES-1]

Originally Posted by SailorSam20500

Exit 75 south of Toledo. Take US23 north and pick 75 up again in Flint. 23 is a significantly better road than 75 from Toledo to I275 which would be your other option. Traffic thru Ann Arbor can be a bit heavy during the afternoon rush period. You can just stay in the right lane and get thru in about 20 minutes


Taking 23 takes you past the big Cabell's in Dundee if you are looking to do some shopping.

^ This. We make the trek from Columbus Ohio are to upper Michigan many times per year. Just south of Toledo around Perrysburg, you take 475 (exits on the LEFT side, its well marked) which wraps around the west side of Toledo for maybe 10 or so miles, then follow signs to 23 north (you get off from 475 onto 23 north...475 loops back east into Toledo). Follow 23 up past Ann Arbor and up to Flint where it merges with I-75. Check it out on a map.

This can save up to an hour travel depending on the time of day. Be careful going around Ann Arbor on 23, a few swooping turns and plenty of bad drivers at all times of day.

Lower Michigan roads suck, but when you get a bit north of Saginaw, they are absolutely beautiful!