Share your thoughts on Downtown Ferndale

Comments

5 responses to “Share your thoughts on Downtown Ferndale”

1. 

   August 30, 2011

   sadie

   This might be a lame question, and an inappropriate place to ask it, but does anyone know the best way to bike to Greektown from Ferndale? I’m new in the area and google has been inconsistent with what are safe and easy neighborhoods (for a lone girl on a slow bike) to navigate. There are plenty of places to bike within Detroit and Ferndale, but I can’t seem to map a good route between them without a little more information. I apologize if I come across as a country bumpkin.
2. 

   August 30, 2011

   Todd Scott

   Sadie,

   My preference is to take Woodward south to Highland Park. Just past the old Ford Highland Park headquarters, I turn left on Sears Street and cut behind the Model T strip mall. Head south behind the mall to Manchester where you do a quick left and right onto John R. You can take John R south to Comerica Park. At the park, go left on Montcalm, right on Brush, left on Madison, and right on Beaubein. That takes you to Greek Town. The only safety issues I’ve had on this route are in Ferndale along Woodward, but I am a guy.

   There is a Google email list devoted to commuting between the suburbs and downtown. You might consider joining them for a group ride downtown. detroit-bike-commuters@googlegroups.com
3. 

   August 30, 2011

   sadie

   Yay!! Thank you so much! That’s exactly what I was looking for. I love it here!
4. 

   September 2, 2011

   Sven Gustafson

   I occasionally make more or less the same trip to work. If you want to avoid Woodward altogether (not a bad idea, since it’s more or less a 50 mph highway between 8 and McNichols), cut through the Green Acres neighborhood at Renfrew Street or Litchfield. Follow Renfrew until it becomes Parkside and leads you to Seven Mile.

   At Seven Mile, take a left and veer right on Ponchartrain, which is a nice drive that takes you through Palmer Park and is relatively lightly trafficked. At the split, veer to the left to take Merrill Plaisance.

   From there, you can either follow MP to its end at Woodward and McNichols, or — and this is my preference — turn right on Second Avenue and follow that south into Highland Park. I typically follow this past the Davison Freeway and then pick any street to turn left, cross Woodward and get on John R the rest of the way downtown, as Todd mentions above. John R is nice because there is hardly any traffic and very few stop signs or traffic lights until you get down near Midtown and the Cultural Center.

   Enjoy!
5. 

   September 6, 2011

   Todd Scott

   I sometimes take Sven’s route when I have the time. I also use the bike lanes on Hilton to avoid that ugly stretch of Woodward through Ferndale.