Walking in Detroit
January 2, 2010 9:26 AM Subscribe
Is it reasonable to live in Detroit without a car?
I'm thinking of leaving Chicago and looking for somewhere else to go. Detroit sounds appealing but I would like to avoid getting a car. I hear from some quarters that a car is a necessity, but I hear from others that there are pockets of walkability.
I'm thinking of leaving Chicago and looking for somewhere else to go. Detroit sounds appealing but I would like to avoid getting a car. I hear from some quarters that a car is a necessity, but I hear from others that there are pockets of walkability.
It depends on the public transportation system. I've lived without a car in Chicago my entire life. I'd check out also if they are bicycle friendly: lots of designated places to park bikes, if bikes are allowed on subway systems, and if there are bike lanes on major streets (though I managed before there were in Chicago, it seems to help motorists deal with bikes with less hostility).
posted by marimeko at 9:39 AM on January 2, 2010
posted by marimeko at 9:39 AM on January 2, 2010
Best answer: It's definitely possible; almost 33 percent of the city doesn't have access to a car.
Reasonable is a different question altogether. It would be MORE reasonable if you live in downtown or Midtown, and had a job that was in downtown or Midtown, could restrict grocery shopping to Eastern Market on saturdays. If your job was located in a non-transit-friendly area like bloomfield twp, novi, or far out enough like pontiac, it would be torture to live without a car. Also it sucks to wait for the bus in winter.
Bottom line: it can be done given correct conditions. But it would certainly help to have a friend with a car.
posted by ofthestrait at 9:42 AM on January 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
Reasonable is a different question altogether. It would be MORE reasonable if you live in downtown or Midtown, and had a job that was in downtown or Midtown, could restrict grocery shopping to Eastern Market on saturdays. If your job was located in a non-transit-friendly area like bloomfield twp, novi, or far out enough like pontiac, it would be torture to live without a car. Also it sucks to wait for the bus in winter.
Bottom line: it can be done given correct conditions. But it would certainly help to have a friend with a car.
posted by ofthestrait at 9:42 AM on January 2, 2010 [1 favorite]
I live in the Detroit 'burbs.
As evidenced by the bus stops and people waiting at them and the SMART service (I'm not so sure how smart it is, I have not personally used it.), it is possible to live in the Detroit area without a car. I am sure it is difficult. Today, it is 12 F; I would not want to stand around waiting for a bus.
A friend of mine lives in the 'burbs, has a car, but takes the public transportation to get to work in downtown Detroit. He says that he can do his catching up (or napping) while the bus makes its way downtown.
posted by Drasher at 9:43 AM on January 2, 2010
As evidenced by the bus stops and people waiting at them and the SMART service (I'm not so sure how smart it is, I have not personally used it.), it is possible to live in the Detroit area without a car. I am sure it is difficult. Today, it is 12 F; I would not want to stand around waiting for a bus.
A friend of mine lives in the 'burbs, has a car, but takes the public transportation to get to work in downtown Detroit. He says that he can do his catching up (or napping) while the bus makes its way downtown.
posted by Drasher at 9:43 AM on January 2, 2010
Response by poster: It would be MORE reasonable if you live in downtown or Midtown, and had a job that was in downtown or Midtown, could restrict grocery shopping to Eastern Market on saturdays.
If I move, I'll be working from home, so I'm not really worried about commuting; I'm more worried about getting to food, bars, and basic shopping.
posted by enn at 9:44 AM on January 2, 2010
If I move, I'll be working from home, so I'm not really worried about commuting; I'm more worried about getting to food, bars, and basic shopping.
posted by enn at 9:44 AM on January 2, 2010
Re: biking.
Biking in Detroit is awesome during March until it starts to snow (mid-december?). One of the benefits of the depopulation is that I pretty much always have a whole lane to myself. Bikes are allowed on SMART (the suburban bus) but DDOT buses don't have bike racks yet. Also soon you should be able to take a train daily to Ann Arbor, FWIW.
posted by ofthestrait at 9:44 AM on January 2, 2010
Biking in Detroit is awesome during March until it starts to snow (mid-december?). One of the benefits of the depopulation is that I pretty much always have a whole lane to myself. Bikes are allowed on SMART (the suburban bus) but DDOT buses don't have bike racks yet. Also soon you should be able to take a train daily to Ann Arbor, FWIW.
posted by ofthestrait at 9:44 AM on January 2, 2010
Seconding deadmessenger. There are some great areas surrounding Detroit proper, but you will want a car if you live in any of them. Even if you find a place to live near work, groceries, and everything else, your social life will be much easier with a car. Everyone will assume you have one and because people are so spread out, it may be hard to be social without one.
This advice would probably apply even if you decided live downtown, because your social circle will almost certainly extend to the suburbs.
posted by pitseleh at 9:47 AM on January 2, 2010
This advice would probably apply even if you decided live downtown, because your social circle will almost certainly extend to the suburbs.
posted by pitseleh at 9:47 AM on January 2, 2010
Best answer: Food you can get at Eastern Market on saturdays, but that's pretty much the only place downtown besides Honeybee Market on 16th and Bagley (a long walk from downtown/midtown) and the University market on Warren and the Lodge. Bars are everywhere and no problem to walk to. Basic shopping? You could walk to places like CVS or Radio Shack. If you needed a big-box store, or any kind of chain clothes place, you can take the bus to Fairlane, Northland, Somerset, or Oakland malls.
posted by ofthestrait at 9:49 AM on January 2, 2010
posted by ofthestrait at 9:49 AM on January 2, 2010
Detroit metro area- native, seconding ofthestrait. I would not recommend it. It's possible, but it won't be convenient. Detroit's people-mover is no L train.
posted by alygator at 10:05 AM on January 2, 2010
posted by alygator at 10:05 AM on January 2, 2010
Ann Arbor is the only place I'd live, and you can 100% do that without a car. I grew up in the 'burbs just outside Detroit, and I wouldn't want to move back to them nor live in them without a car (one reason I wouldn't move back!).
Kalamazoo is another car-free-ish option, but on the other side of the state, closer to Chicago. It's a toss-up, though, since it's still more spread out than Ann Arbor.
For whatever it's worth, I am living without a car in SF currently, albeit with 5 bikes.
posted by kcm at 10:32 AM on January 2, 2010
Kalamazoo is another car-free-ish option, but on the other side of the state, closer to Chicago. It's a toss-up, though, since it's still more spread out than Ann Arbor.
For whatever it's worth, I am living without a car in SF currently, albeit with 5 bikes.
posted by kcm at 10:32 AM on January 2, 2010
Best answer: Possible but not at all practical. I lived within the city limits for seven years and was without a car for some of that time. The DOT (bus line within Detroit) is unreliable; even though the schedule says the bus should be at the corner of X and Y at 5:15, it's ultimately up to the mood of the driver. For the most part, the buses were pretty much on time, but there were several times when I stood waiting at a stop for over an hour (when the buses were supposed to be running every 20) minutes until one came by. Question the driver and you'll be ignored or invited to get the eff off his bus. There are no major grocey store chains left within the city, so Mr. Adams and I had to ride out bikes to Harper Woods and carry our purchases home in backpacks and my bike basket. It was healthful since we only bought what we needed/could carry and got lots of exercise, but that novelty wore off after the first downpour on the way home.
We now live in Birmingham (suburb northwest of Detroit), and I've had to rely on public transport a few times when my car was being repaired. The SMART buses (suburban bus system) are more reliable than DOT but has fewer routes and doesn't run as often. For example, to get from my house to my office took 20 minutes by car but one hour and 45 minutes by bus because of the infrequency of coaches (many routes only run one bus per hour). However, if you plan to live and work in and shop in (and don't have to regularly leave the immediate area), say, Birmingham or Royal Oak or Ferndale, they are "walkable" communities and have downtown areas with shops and grocery stores that are also cyclist-friendly. You could certainly get by without a car. But it's not like Chicago where you can easily explore the expanse of Chicagoland without a car.
posted by Oriole Adams at 10:35 AM on January 2, 2010
We now live in Birmingham (suburb northwest of Detroit), and I've had to rely on public transport a few times when my car was being repaired. The SMART buses (suburban bus system) are more reliable than DOT but has fewer routes and doesn't run as often. For example, to get from my house to my office took 20 minutes by car but one hour and 45 minutes by bus because of the infrequency of coaches (many routes only run one bus per hour). However, if you plan to live and work in and shop in (and don't have to regularly leave the immediate area), say, Birmingham or Royal Oak or Ferndale, they are "walkable" communities and have downtown areas with shops and grocery stores that are also cyclist-friendly. You could certainly get by without a car. But it's not like Chicago where you can easily explore the expanse of Chicagoland without a car.
posted by Oriole Adams at 10:35 AM on January 2, 2010
>If I move, I'll be working from home, so I'm not really worried about commuting; I'm more worried about getting to food, bars, and basic shopping.
Then you would do much better in one of the small-town-like suburbs. Plymouth and Northville are excellent candidates.
posted by megatherium at 12:06 PM on January 2, 2010
Then you would do much better in one of the small-town-like suburbs. Plymouth and Northville are excellent candidates.
posted by megatherium at 12:06 PM on January 2, 2010
I've never officially lived in Detroit, but I dated someone who lived in Harper Woods and was in the area often and long enough to get a real feel for it. We spent a good amount of time in the city proper and I do think it's an interesting city. As someone born and raised in Chicago I'm just going to be blunt. It's not even remotely on par with Chicago in terms of access to anything. I would not do this.
For a while I toyed with the idea of moving there, in part, because it was so freakin' cheap. But even before everything financial went to hell in a hand basket it was depressing. And I enjoy urban decay. It depressed me. Think on that.
If you're looking for some place with good transit that is cheaper than Chicago you could do much better. I currently live in Denver and employ at least three people aged 24-30 who do not own cars and are reliable in getting to work and enjoy their social lives, etc.
Portland, OR. Great transit system and bonus points for more temperate weather.
I'm sure there are others. But let me say again - I wouldn't do Detroit.
posted by FlamingBore at 1:05 PM on January 2, 2010
For a while I toyed with the idea of moving there, in part, because it was so freakin' cheap. But even before everything financial went to hell in a hand basket it was depressing. And I enjoy urban decay. It depressed me. Think on that.
If you're looking for some place with good transit that is cheaper than Chicago you could do much better. I currently live in Denver and employ at least three people aged 24-30 who do not own cars and are reliable in getting to work and enjoy their social lives, etc.
Portland, OR. Great transit system and bonus points for more temperate weather.
I'm sure there are others. But let me say again - I wouldn't do Detroit.
posted by FlamingBore at 1:05 PM on January 2, 2010
What the hell happened to you in Chicago that Detroit sounds appealing? Consider Minneapolis, Portland--anywhere else.
posted by autoclavicle at 1:29 PM on January 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by autoclavicle at 1:29 PM on January 2, 2010 [3 favorites]
You could definitely do it if you lived in Midtown or Downtown. There are rent a car agencies downtown so you could rent a car once or twice a month as well.
Suburbs are an option as well.. let me try to create analagous neighborhood guide. Its not even close, since the urban form is so different, but it's more of the stereotypoe of people who live there. Each of these neighborhoods have grocery stores within walking distance.
Royal Oak - Lincoln Park
Ferndale - Wicker Park/Boystown
Birmingham - Old Town/North Shore
Even in Chicago most people have cars, so I can't imagine how annoying it might be in Detroit to not have a car (I mean socially, everyone would always assume something weird about you not having a car).
posted by sandmanwv at 1:52 PM on January 2, 2010
Suburbs are an option as well.. let me try to create analagous neighborhood guide. Its not even close, since the urban form is so different, but it's more of the stereotypoe of people who live there. Each of these neighborhoods have grocery stores within walking distance.
Royal Oak - Lincoln Park
Ferndale - Wicker Park/Boystown
Birmingham - Old Town/North Shore
Even in Chicago most people have cars, so I can't imagine how annoying it might be in Detroit to not have a car (I mean socially, everyone would always assume something weird about you not having a car).
posted by sandmanwv at 1:52 PM on January 2, 2010
Unfortunately most everywhere in Michigan is built/created assuming that one has a car. In my parents' neighborhood (near Ferndale), it is challenging to walk for minimal groceries, much less regular groceries. Buses are challenging too.
And honestly, based on what all my relatives say, don't move to Michigan. There are no jobs. People are depressed and upset. Infrastructure is failing.
posted by k8t at 3:01 PM on January 2, 2010
And honestly, based on what all my relatives say, don't move to Michigan. There are no jobs. People are depressed and upset. Infrastructure is failing.
posted by k8t at 3:01 PM on January 2, 2010
Yeah, having lived in Detroit for 5 years (Wayne State area) I can say that, looking back, life would have been very very very VERY hard without a car. I wouldn't do it there.
posted by Windigo at 8:57 AM on January 4, 2010
posted by Windigo at 8:57 AM on January 4, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
The 'burbs, on the other hand, aren't as awful but you most definitely will need a car.
posted by deadmessenger at 9:33 AM on January 2, 2010