  Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog Post Number: 341 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 12.47.224.8 |
This is the thread for all you city dwellers who work in the suburbs. How many of us are there on this forum? How do you like reverse commuting? How is traffic? Do you ever feel disconnected from the city because of being stuck in the suburbs all day? I worked downtown and in new center for 4 years and also lived downtown. In the beginning, I really felt like I was part of something big. About half the people I worked with were city dwellers, the other half were suburbanites. But just about everyone had some sort of affinity for the city, and had at least a couple things they enjoyed about the city, and a couple of things they liked to do in the city. We ate out downtown, and after work, and had company picnics on Belle Isle, etc. Now I reverse commute to Troy to work. I'd say only 5-10% of my co-workers live in the city if that. Many people seem to have few connections to the city with the exception of sports teams. People don't go out to eat together as much, rarely go out after work together, and company events are almost always on site or at a big hotel on Big Beaver. Regarding the commute, traffic going out to Troy (on I75) is always light until I hit 696/75 and it's backed up until Big Beaver. My commute isn't too bad (25-35 minutes). I work with many suburbanites whose commute is almost twice as long (coming in from all over, Novi, the townships in Macomb, etc.). But I have to say it is a very depressing work environment, in a very bland low-rise office building surrounded by lots of other low-rise bland office buildings. However I do like my job. Is it me or does there seem to be big differences between working downtown or in the suburbs? And does reverse commuting just seem wierd and backward or what? | ||
Andylinn Member Username: Andylinn Post Number: 41 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 68.40.195.233 |
at school here in ann arbor, there are a few professors and staff members who live in detroit and make the 1 hour trip back and forth daily... shit son... | ||
Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog Post Number: 342 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 12.47.224.8 |
Andylinn, damn that's rough. my wife had to do that for a little while and HATED it. I think it severly tainted her feelings towards A2. She hates A2 to this day. | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1046 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 198.208.159.18 |
+1 Midtown to north-central Warren, commute is like 15 minutes, turning off 75 onto 696 and thus avoiding the daily northbound 75 backups. There are people here that commute from north of Flint! let alone all the other hard to imagine long distance commutes you could think of. I know several people that commute from the city, but most are younger and recent grads from Wayne/CCS and have chosen to stay in the city (like myself), at least for the time being. I do like where I work, its a great environment here (some guy named Eero Saarinen designed the place :D ;) ) but Warren in general blows. but, there is no place in the city proper that has jobs in my field. Sterling Heights is just like Warren but slightly upscale, either way, I've had my fill of chain eateries for lunch long ago and have resorted to either making my own lunches or buying food at detroit establishments (karmic, the bronx, etc) and bringing it in. The only place in Warren that I have found worth mentioning to anyone is the Kuhnenen (sp?) brewery in historic warren at mound and chicago...they make some tastey beers and growlers are cheap. I get a lot of questions about living in the city, some reasonable, some just stupid...while I don't try to sugar coat things when my choice of locale comes up, I don't hesitate to mention the things you just can't get/do/see in the burbs. I even made up a decent detroit restaurant list for the more inquisitive people here looking for something different to do or eat. my lady friend commutes to AA daily, though only to the area on the near side of 23, she doesn't seem to mind except in the most inclimate of weather (Message edited by gravitymachine on May 10, 2006) (Message edited by gravitymachine on May 10, 2006) | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1807 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 129.9.163.105 |
I drive from Downtown to Auburn Hills. 35-45 minutes most days. 25 minutes on Saturday. The guy at the desk across from me lives in the University district. There are a few Windsorites who make the commute. There's even a guy who drives up from Toledo every day. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 1495 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 68.248.10.150 |
Andylinn, I've heard of that too. I hate driving in heavy traffic and can't stand more than an hour or two on a freeway, so that would be bad news for me. But hell there are people in this area and other metros that commute upwards of 100 miles to work. I've heard of people going from Howell to the east side of Detroit, or from Grand Blanc to Southfield. I think they're nuts (the fact is you kind of are when you drive a combined 150-200 miles per day), but whatever. There are really only a few areas in metro Detroit that have clear traffic patterns. Thanks to our sprawl and employers being concentrated in Troy, Livonia, and Southfield as much as they are in downtown, traffic here is really disorganized compared to other cities. From downtown to GP/SCS on Jefferson has a pretty clear back and forth during the rush hours, but even so, traffic moves well. The Lodge south often backs up near 94/Wayne state, and so does the 75 exit to Madison sometimes, but getting downtown is rarely too difficult. | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 643 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.42.176.123 |
A distant relative of mine used to work for the Detroit Public Schools. He commuted from his farm in Ubly, near Bad Axe, everyday for work. Although this isn't a reverse commute, I have yet to see a working Joe top that commute. | ||
Haydenth Member Username: Haydenth Post Number: 33 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 65.31.78.103 |
I drive from my apartment in Midtown to my office in Livonia everyday. I take I-96 westbound. It is beautiful. No traffic ever and the road is in tip-top shape. | ||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 8433 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 70.53.96.156 |
From Toledo? That is a long commute! I like "reverse" commuting. The traffic jams are always in the opposite direction. | ||
Gambling_man Member Username: Gambling_man Post Number: 724 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 199.178.193.5 |
My downstairs neighbor (in the city), drives to Dearborn every morning for work......he says he laughs everytime he sees people going the opposite direction, as his drive is awesome..... | ||
Spitty Member Username: Spitty Post Number: 467 Registered: 07-2004 Posted From: 136.2.1.153 |
Same here. Lafayette Park to right near Fairlane Mall in Dearborn. It's a breeze as far as traffic and time. Ford Road is the worst part though because of the unintentional speed bumps that I don't have time to slow down for. My girlfriend works at 94 and 11 mile, so we both laugh at the people coming in to the city on our way out in morning. On my way home, I'll sometimes avoid the 94 eastbound back up near WSU by taking 96 to 75 to Gratiot. I hardly ever stop moving. | ||
Canuckr Member Username: Canuckr Post Number: 30 Registered: 02-2005 Posted From: 209.69.34.80 |
I drive from Downtown to Southfeild everday. Typical drive is around 20 minutes straigh up the lodge. Other then the crappy roads, I like the drive. A few other people in my group here at work live in the city also. | ||
Jsmyers Member Username: Jsmyers Post Number: 1693 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 209.131.7.68 |
I drive from the Cass Corridor to Novi. The traffic isn't bad, but I hate the distance. I used to take the lodge and 696, but now I take 96, to avoid construction.
My uncle works at a Delphi plant in Saginaw. He lives close by, but has a coworker who drives south from Onaway or Indian River. ~3 hours one way. Apparently the guy goes through used geo metros like TP at a Chilly cookoff. | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1047 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 198.208.159.18 |
I go mountain biking out that way quite a bit, with the construction I've found 96 > telegraph north > grand river > 96 works pretty well for avoiding 275 and runs diagonally like the lodge towards the northwest areas | ||
Jsmyers Member Username: Jsmyers Post Number: 1694 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 209.131.7.68 |
I'll check that out. Thanks for the tip. | ||
Dnvn522 Member Username: Dnvn522 Post Number: 118 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 204.24.64.25 |
I worked in Lansing for a while and my boss's son drove from Okemos to Eastpointe everyday. I believe he's still making that commute, four year later. No thank you. | ||
Haydenth Member Username: Haydenth Post Number: 34 Registered: 05-2005 Posted From: 65.31.78.103 |
When I was at MSU (from 2002-2005) I used to commute every morning from my house in East Lansing to my office in Livonia. I easily put over 40,000 miles/year on my poor Jeep Cherokee. | ||
Funkycarrie Member Username: Funkycarrie Post Number: 217 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 69.208.117.53 |
I reverse commute out to Livonia M-F. Traffic is a breeze in both directions on 96. I watch the other direction in a standstill everyday and I am not envious. I don't feel disconnected, but I do wish I could talk my dad into moving his business downtown. There's no way in hell that I'd live out in the burbs, so I don't have a problem with commuting. | ||
Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog Post Number: 345 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 12.47.224.8 |
Wow. I am shocked by how many reverse commuters there are on this forum. It almost seems like the norm! Who on here works AND lives in the city? Maybe it is true then. Detroit is becoming a bedroom community, or even dare I say it, another suburb of sorts! Funkycarrie, if you had the opportunity to both work AND live downtown you'd LOVE IT. I was spoiled for a long time. Hell, I even took the people mover to work!!! | ||
Funkycarrie Member Username: Funkycarrie Post Number: 223 Registered: 02-2004 Posted From: 69.208.117.53 |
my boyfriend works in the city and lives there if it makes you feel any better I'd love to work downtown, but I can't get my dad to budge (he doesn't want to commute that far) and I also don't want to stop working for him. I'd love to be able to ride my bike or walk to work. There's that old house that has been converted to an office on Jefferson (I forget the cross street, down from Tom's) that has been for sale or lease forever...anytime I pass it with him I give him the yaknow dad speech... he won't budge though. | ||
Hamtramck_steve Member Username: Hamtramck_steve Post Number: 2937 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.255.162.105 |
Hamtramck to Mt. Clemens everyday for 10 years for work. Takes me 30-35 minutes. There is no way in hell I could do the opposite. It takes at least 20 minutes longer, and I can not stand stop and go traffic. | ||
Eastsidedog Member Username: Eastsidedog Post Number: 349 Registered: 03-2006 Posted From: 12.47.224.8 |
Hantramck steve, wow that's impressive! a decade! That's some driving dedication! Funkycarrie, If he runs a business, I'm sure it's the high cost of doing business in the city that's deterring him. The city makes all kinds of sweet deals with big corporations (like Compuware) but for many small businesses, especially when most of your employees already live in the suburbs and your customers are in the suburbs, operating in the suburbs is kind of a no-brainer. I guess I feel more disconnected from the city now, because I used to work and live downtown. Now I live east of downtown and work in Troy. | ||
Hamtramck_steve Member Username: Hamtramck_steve Post Number: 2938 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.255.162.105 |
Eastside, they keep paying me, so I keep showing up! | ||
Mind_field Member Username: Mind_field Post Number: 556 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 209.240.205.61 |
As city centers across the nation explode with new residential development, reverse commuting is now causing serious traffic on outbound freeways. Chicago has at least 90,000 people living in a few sq. miles around the greater loop and while many work in the loop, many also work in the suburbs. I wonder if Detroit will ever see the day of reverse commute traffic jams. With all the riverfront residential and now downtown and midtown, who knows? | ||
Naturalsister Member Username: Naturalsister Post Number: 613 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.255.238.220 |
I object to the term reverse commute. There's no such thing. http://dictionary.reference.co m/search?q=commute And before you all go trying to explain it to me, I know that commuting is generally thought of when one drives from where-ever into a city/metropolis,downtown area blah blah blah. It's all just commuting. Nothing reverse about it. later - naturalsister | ||
Ndavies Member Username: Ndavies Post Number: 1809 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.255.246.6 |
It may not be real. But the state has a program named after it. http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0 ,1607,7-151-11056_13849-27116- -,00.html | ||
Cmubryan Member Username: Cmubryan Post Number: 260 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.42.169.179 |
Drive from Lafayette Park to Canton (Ford and Haggerty). It wasn't bad until construction started on M-14, it backs up on to the Jeffries and takes me 40-45 minutes to get to work. If I get off on Newburgh and take that to Ann Arbor Road to 275, I can save my self 5-10 minutes. The drive home is a breeze, about 30 minutes. Of course this is all going to change once IKEA opens... | ||
Naturalsister Member Username: Naturalsister Post Number: 615 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.255.238.220 |
Yeah Ndavies, IRREGARDLESS is in the dictionaly now because of it's prevelent use. http://dictionary.reference.co m/search?q=irregardless I like this part the best: "it has been considered a blunder for decades and will probably continue to be so. http://dictionary.reference.co m/search?q=regardless I object to blunders!!!!!!! later - naturalsister | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 61 Registered: 12-2005 Posted From: 69.136.155.244 |
Here's some relevant data from a Wayne State University presentation (I couldn't find anything with more recent data, but it does show the magnitudes and trends): Spatial Patterns as Percentage of All Work Trips In the Detroit Metro Area, 1960-1990 (Slide #7) ........Detroit to....Suburb to...Between Suburbs Year....Detroit.......Suburb.. ....& Detroit* 1960.....38%...........36%.... .......26% 1970.....23%...........49%.... .......28% 1980.....16%...........62%.... .......22% 1990.....11%...........71%.... .......18% *(calculated by summing the other two percentages and subtracting from 100%; includes the so-called "reverse commuters") Slide #8 indicates that in 1990, 43% of Detroit workers commuted to the suburbs, while 11% of Metro Detroit suburban workers commuted to jobs in Detroit. Source (PDF document) ----------------------- SEMCOG has commuting patterns based on 2000 census data, but they are only broken out county by county. | ||
Ro_resident Member Username: Ro_resident Post Number: 161 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 69.14.126.140 |
Quick, somebody tell the Feds (and DDOT and SMART) that the JARC program does not exist. ;) I made the commute from Allen Park to Ann Arbor for a few years. It was a lot quicker going my way in the morning and afternoon. | ||
Bungholio Member Username: Bungholio Post Number: 6 Registered: 06-2005 Posted From: 68.62.19.100 |
Riverplace to Warren in 25 mins. BTW Gravity, second your notion, the Kuhnens in the ONLY place in Warren. | ||
Capnhook Member Username: Capnhook Post Number: 34 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 68.42.78.142 |
Old Redford straight up telegraph to Auburn Hills, 21 miles door to door in 35 minutes. There are people in the office who live in up near AH who take that long to get to work. I only wish I could be sitting on the bus or train -- the drive is boring and i'd rather read. | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 10054 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.246.37.236 |
Yeah? Well why don't you tell that to the people sitting on 275 north or 696 West in bumper to bumper traffic, crawling along at 10-15 mph, while I cruise along at 80+ mph, sometimes hitting 110 mph, with 120 mph on rare occasions when traffic is so light that the next car is a good mile ahead. Call it what you want, but one direction flows and the other doesn't. Think of it as trying to fill a pool with a garden hose compared to trying to empty the pool by cutting the sidewall liner. Yes, the traffic flow IS that drastically different. I know people who work downtown but live in Novi, that drive is very often close to an hour drive, double my commute. As for me, I REVERSE commute from Detroit to Novi. Like Jsmyers, I used to take lodge to 696 until the construction. Now I take 96 to 275, still deal with construction at that interchange, and again merging from 275 to M5, where they decided to make it one lane because I was not being inconvenienced enough with construction apparently. Even so, my commutes take about 30 minutes +/- about 2 minutes. I love driving, so it's not all that big of a deal to me. What I hate is the city of Novi, which I consider to be the poorest planned out suburb of any I have been in. While ideally I'd love to work downtown and have 0 commute, I'm currently simply looking for a change of scenery, even interviewing in Rochester Hills a few weeks ago. | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 95 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 152.163.100.8 |
"It may not be real. But the state has a program named after it." -N Davies that is a federal welfare to work program, only a couple million dollars makes it to the Detroit area to be split up by several groups. | ||
Reetz12 Member Username: Reetz12 Post Number: 49 Registered: 09-2005 Posted From: 68.40.172.108 |
Live on the eastside drive to corktown area, not bad if I leave before rush hour, if not double the commute time. Also have field guys who live in Midland area and drive downtown everyday...got to go where the work is! | ||
Naturalsister Member Username: Naturalsister Post Number: 616 Registered: 11-2004 Posted From: 68.30.156.49 |
Thanks Supersport, I get it now, the time it takes to do something changes the meaning of the word. Silly me. later - naturalsister | ||
Erikd Member Username: Erikd Post Number: 621 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 69.242.214.106 |
I did the reverse commute from downtown to Troy for a few years. The traffic north of 696 is terrible, regardless of which way you are going, but drive between 696 and downtown is great for reverse commutes. For the last 5 years I have mostly worked downtown, so I haven't had to commute. The amount of time and money that I get back by not commuting to work is incredible. There is nothing better than being able to walk to work. It really changes your life. | ||
Ryo Member Username: Ryo Post Number: 1 Registered: 05-2006 Posted From: 68.73.53.18 |
I do the New Center - Livonia commute now, and I've done New Center - Dearborn and New Center - Flat Rock reverse commutes in the past. The light outbound traffic is very relaxing, but I have to avoid eye contact with the oncoming, bumper-to-bumper commuters. I feel guilty luxuriating in my lavishly wide-open lanes while they think malicious thoughts about me and my unimpeded travel. My favorite was the Flat Rock commute, solely because the views of downtown from northbound I75 going over the Rouge in the late afternoon were spectacular. | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 10055 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 64.118.137.226 |
Naturalsister, You are very welcome, always looking to help. | ||
Dmb Member Username: Dmb Post Number: 186 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.61.245.34 |
I drive from the Northeast side up to Sterling Heights/Utica area and it is a decent drive. Taking 94 to 696 to Schoenherr takes about 20-30 minutes depending on which school I have to stop at first on a particular morning. Sometimes it can take a bit more because there is an apparent conspiracy on Schoenherr for everyone to drive Buicks 10mph under the speed limit it BOTH lanes, god that drives me nuts. The best part is on my way home when I see cars backed up for over a mile trying to go from East 696 to east(north really)94. It almost makes me feel guilty when I easily jump on 94 back towards the city with no traffic........almost. | ||
Eric_c Member Username: Eric_c Post Number: 731 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 68.76.202.10 |
E. Grand/Charlevoix to Joseph Campau/Caniff: 12 minutes going, 13 coming home. Lunch at home everyday! My wife meanwhile, travels to the eastern rural fringe of Ann Arbor M-F to the tune of about 40 minutes one-way. Bless her sweet soul. When I used to live on E. Jefferson at Burns and worked in Livonia, it was a solid 45 minute drive because of Jefferson into Downtown and the suburban surface streets. God, I hated it! | ||
Quickdrawmcgraw Member Username: Quickdrawmcgraw Post Number: 55 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 63.77.247.130 |
I used to commute from West Village to Southfield and now I commute from Westland to Southfield (sorry but had 2 get a roommate). My former route took 30 minutes whereas my current route takes 1 hour!!! Ugh what I would give for a park & ride and a light rail transit stop. | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 552 Registered: 01-2005 Posted From: 207.200.116.139 |
Reading all your well thought out comments just makes me very happy, indeed, to be retired!  | ||
Supersport Member Username: Supersport Post Number: 10058 Registered: 10-2003 Posted From: 64.118.137.226 |
Did my city council pass an ordinance making it illegal to have roommates in the city? | ||
Quickdrawmcgraw Member Username: Quickdrawmcgraw Post Number: 56 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 63.77.247.130 |
@ supersport. nope, the only person who had enough room at their place. | ||
Dougw Member Username: Dougw Post Number: 1133 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 136.1.1.154 |
My wife & I are both reverse commuters... I go from the lower eastside to Dearborn, not really bad at all, about 20 minutes each way. I stick to the surface streets (Kercheval/Vernor) when going with the rush hour flow, and the freeway when going against. (And as anyone who drives most non-major surface streets like Kercheval & Vernor knows, rush hour traffic is basically non-existent.) | ||
Bussey Member Username: Bussey Post Number: 165 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 69.212.41.58 |
Woodbridge to Birmingham everyday around 7am. Takes 25-30 min. Not that bad at 16 miles one way. I can also take the Smart bus up woodward if i need to. I have done it before and it takes and extra 30 min for an hour commute. I do miss my old commute though. I used to work in the Eastern Market and was riding my bike to work everyday when the weather permitted. But that was at 3am everyday!!! That was a rough four year period. |
