Dodge the Lodge via Transit
As the Lodge closes and other area highways become even more congested, TRU encourage people who work in downtown Detroit to let someone else fight the traffic – try the bus instead.
This page has info about how to do it! (details below)
Both DDOT (city busses) and SMART (suburban busses) offer express busses during rush hour that offer great alternatives for people driving into Detroit’s downtown, midtown or New Center from the suburbs.
For example, if you go to 8 Mile and Lahser at 7:40am and get on DDOT’s #78 bus, it will take you to Henry Ford Hospital at 8:25am. Or go to Halsted north of Grand River at 6:40am (or other times between 6am and 8am), park at the Bonaventure Skating Center and get on SMART’s #805 bus, it will take you to downtown Detroit around 7:35am. Each route has several time options in the morning and several for the return trip in the evening.
Remember, while busses are often a little slower than driving, bus riders don’t have to stress out fighting the traffic and staring at the bumper in front of them. Commute time is not wasted time for bus riders - they can read the paper, listen to music, read a novel, talk with other riders, or just relax quietly. Plus, no paying for gas or parking!
Lodge Construction information can be found at the Michigan Department of Transportation website.
Contact the bus agencies for exact locations and times:
- SMART (suburban busses, many that travel downtown Detroit), specific Dodge the Lodge info
- DDOT (Detroit city busses)
For new bus riders, check out our tips on How to Ride the Bus.
What are the Transit Options?
Western I-96 commuters who want to avoid the I-275/I-96 detour can park free and catch the SMART #805 Park and Ride bus in Farmington Hills. This is an express bus that costs $2 each way and has several downtown destinations. It is a rush-hour service with 6 morning departures inbound to Detroit and 6 evening return departures. The exact schedule and map is available at www.smartbus.org by clicking on “Dodge the Lodge". A good place to catch the bus is at the Bonaventure Skating Center. Exit M-5 eastbound to 10 Mile/Grand River eastbound. Go north on Halsted to the skating center, 24505 Halsted. Park free in the lot where marked. Trip time is about 60 minutes. Busses depart between 5:58am and 7:58am. Return busses depart between 3:35pm and 5:35pm.
Northwestern Highway Corridor commuters can park free and catch the SMART # 851 Park and Ride bus in several spots along Orchard Lake Road, including Oakland Community College. This is an express bus that costs $2 each way and has several downtown destinations, including Wayne State. Because this bus normally travels on the Lodge, its schedule has been changed during the Lodge closure. Get the exact schedule at www.smartbus.org by clicking on “Dodge the Lodge". Note that there are 8 morning rush-hour busses to Detroit and 8 return rush-hour busses in the evening. Three of the morning and evening busses serve Wayne State, which lengthens the overall trip time. A typical trip time from Orchard Lake Road and Lone Pine Road, for example is approximately 60 minutes to downtown. From OCC it is approximately 45 minutes. Busses depart the Lone Pine stop between 5:41am and 7:29am. Return busses depart downtown between 3:20pm and 6:00pm.
Southfield/Northland area commuters have a variety of transit possibilities from DDOT and SMART express (limited) service from Northland Shopping Center. Park for free and try one of the following options:
Woodward Corridor commuters continue to have the same high-level limited service as always. If Woodward Avenue is your preferred Lodge-dodging driving route, try one of the following instead, for $1.50 each way:
SMART has park and ride opportunities in Riverview, Southgate, Dearborn, Wayne, Garden City, Redford, Pontiac, Troy, Royal Oak, Roseville and Mt Clemens, among others. For example, SMART express busses go from Woodward and 13 Mile every 15 minutes from 6am until 8:30am and take about 40 minutes to arrive downtown.
As the Lodge closes and other area highways become even more congested, TRU encourage people who work in downtown Detroit to let someone else fight the traffic – try the bus instead.
This page has info about how to do it! (details below)
Both DDOT (city busses) and SMART (suburban busses) offer express busses during rush hour that offer great alternatives for people driving into Detroit’s downtown, midtown or New Center from the suburbs.
For example, if you go to 8 Mile and Lahser at 7:40am and get on DDOT’s #78 bus, it will take you to Henry Ford Hospital at 8:25am. Or go to Halsted north of Grand River at 6:40am (or other times between 6am and 8am), park at the Bonaventure Skating Center and get on SMART’s #805 bus, it will take you to downtown Detroit around 7:35am. Each route has several time options in the morning and several for the return trip in the evening.
Remember, while busses are often a little slower than driving, bus riders don’t have to stress out fighting the traffic and staring at the bumper in front of them. Commute time is not wasted time for bus riders - they can read the paper, listen to music, read a novel, talk with other riders, or just relax quietly. Plus, no paying for gas or parking!
Lodge Construction information can be found at the Michigan Department of Transportation website.
Contact the bus agencies for exact locations and times:
- SMART (suburban busses, many that travel downtown Detroit), specific Dodge the Lodge info
- DDOT (Detroit city busses)
For new bus riders, check out our tips on How to Ride the Bus.
What are the Transit Options?
Western I-96 commuters who want to avoid the I-275/I-96 detour can park free and catch the SMART #805 Park and Ride bus in Farmington Hills. This is an express bus that costs $2 each way and has several downtown destinations. It is a rush-hour service with 6 morning departures inbound to Detroit and 6 evening return departures. The exact schedule and map is available at www.smartbus.org by clicking on “Dodge the Lodge". A good place to catch the bus is at the Bonaventure Skating Center. Exit M-5 eastbound to 10 Mile/Grand River eastbound. Go north on Halsted to the skating center, 24505 Halsted. Park free in the lot where marked. Trip time is about 60 minutes. Busses depart between 5:58am and 7:58am. Return busses depart between 3:35pm and 5:35pm.
Northwestern Highway Corridor commuters can park free and catch the SMART # 851 Park and Ride bus in several spots along Orchard Lake Road, including Oakland Community College. This is an express bus that costs $2 each way and has several downtown destinations, including Wayne State. Because this bus normally travels on the Lodge, its schedule has been changed during the Lodge closure. Get the exact schedule at www.smartbus.org by clicking on “Dodge the Lodge". Note that there are 8 morning rush-hour busses to Detroit and 8 return rush-hour busses in the evening. Three of the morning and evening busses serve Wayne State, which lengthens the overall trip time. A typical trip time from Orchard Lake Road and Lone Pine Road, for example is approximately 60 minutes to downtown. From OCC it is approximately 45 minutes. Busses depart the Lone Pine stop between 5:41am and 7:29am. Return busses depart downtown between 3:20pm and 6:00pm.
Southfield/Northland area commuters have a variety of transit possibilities from DDOT and SMART express (limited) service from Northland Shopping Center. Park for free and try one of the following options:
- DDOT #21 Grand River Limited costs $1.50 each way with weekday morning express busses leaving between 6:20am and 7:20 am for a 45 minute trip downtown. Evening return busses depart between 3:10pm and 5:10pm. Obtain an exact schedule at www.detroitmi.gov/ddot, then “Bus Information”, then “Pocket Schedules”. Insert the route desired.
- DDOT #72 Dexter Limited costs $1.50 each way with weekday morning express busses leaving between 5:30am and 8:50 am for a 60 minute trip downtown. Evening return busses depart between 3:00pm and 6:20pm. Obtain an exact schedule at www.detroitmi.gov/ddot, then “Bus Information”, then “Pocket Schedules”. Insert the route desired.
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SMART #415/420 Greenfield/Southfield costs $1.50 each way with weekday morning express busses leaving between 6:16am and 8:23 am for a 40 minute trip downtown. Evening return busses depart between 2:37pm and 5:17pm. Obtain an exact schedule at www.smartbus.org by clicking on “Dodge the Lodge”.
Woodward Corridor commuters continue to have the same high-level limited service as always. If Woodward Avenue is your preferred Lodge-dodging driving route, try one of the following instead, for $1.50 each way:
- SMART #445 Limited weekday express runs from Maple & Telegraph to Woodward south to Detroit in the morning rush hour and returns in the evening rush hour. The busses pick up and drop off at several points along the route. Morning busses depart Maple & Telegraph between 6:28am and 7:28am for a 60 minute trip downtown. Return busses depart Detroit between 4:07pm and 5:37pm. The exact schedule and map is available at www.smartbus.org by clicking on “Ride SMART” and then “Routes & Schedules”, then insert the route number “445” into the query for weekday direction desired.
- SMART #475 Limited weekday express runs from Troy Civic Center to Maple to Woodward south to Detroit in the morning rush hour and returns in the evening rush hour. The busses pick up and drop off at several points along the route. Morning busses depart Troy Civic Center between 6:10am and 7:38am for a 60 minute trip downtown. Return busses depart Detroit between 4:22pm and 6:15pm. The exact schedule and map is available at www.smartbus.org by clicking on “Ride SMART” and then “Routes & Schedules”, then insert the route number “475” into the query for weekday direction desired.
SMART has park and ride opportunities in Riverview, Southgate, Dearborn, Wayne, Garden City, Redford, Pontiac, Troy, Royal Oak, Roseville and Mt Clemens, among others. For example, SMART express busses go from Woodward and 13 Mile every 15 minutes from 6am until 8:30am and take about 40 minutes to arrive downtown.
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