Detroit is famous for cars, but getting around the city is complicated if you don’t drive. Deanne Austin has spent much of her life finding ways to make it work.

“I’m the millennial that never got a driver’s license,” she said. “I still don’t drive.”

After graduating from Michigan State during the recession, Austin returned home and took a job in Livonia. The commute required three buses and, at the end, a ride from her grandmother because the line stopped short of her workplace. That experience shaped how she sees Detroit’s transportation system, one that often gets riders close, but not all the way.

Today, Austin serves on the board of Transportation Riders United (TRU) and continues to advocate for more reliable and affordable public transit. She also worked for Detroit Public Schools Community District, where she saw how limited transportation affects students. “My students would tell me, ‘Miss Austin, I’m sorry I’m late, my bus never came,’” she said.

Austin doesn’t rely only on the bus. She often uses ride-hailing services or gets rides from family, especially when time or health limits her options. That, she said, highlights why Detroit’s transit system still needs attention. 

“We need more funding for buses. We need more drivers. We need the city to invest in the people who move Detroit.”

Her message for city leaders: fixing transit means improving access to jobs, schools, healthcare, and civic life. 

Austin joined Robyn Vincent on The Metro to explain how, she said, “transit touches everything,” and what Detroit’s next mayor must do to improve it.

Use the media player above to listen to the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

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The post The Metro: Building a Detroit that moves everyone appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

By Max Reinhart, MediaNews Group

The total number of vehicle crashes in southeast Michigan dropped in 2024, even as fatalities from those crashes climbed, newly released data shows.

The statistics, compiled by the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG), indicate a need for increased focus on major contributing factors like lane departures, impaired driving and problematic intersections, SEMCOG officials said.

“The overall decline in crashes and continued reduction in speeding-related fatalities represent a meaningful win for safety in Southeast Michigan,” said Amy O’Leary, executive director of SEMCOG. “These gains reflect the dedication of our local, regional, state, and federal partners who work every day to make our roads safer.

“Still, the persistence of high-severity crashes reminds us that our work is far from done. Together, we remain committed to advancing and supporting a transportation system where no loss of life is acceptable,” O’Leary said.

According to SEMCOG’s Quick Facts report, there were 129,583 total crashes across the organization’s seven-county area last year. That’s a 1.4% decrease from 131,448 crashes in 2023 and below the 10-year average of 133,511 crashes per year. It also marked the first decline in total crashes across the region since 2020.

However, there were 402 fatalities on Southeast Michigan’s roadways last year, 14 more than in 2023 and the fifth-highest yearly total in the past decade, according to SEMCOG’s findings.

The data also shows that while serious injuries from crashes were down 3% in 2024 (2,211 compared to 2,276 in 2023), that figure is the third-highest in the past 10 years.

In analyzing data regarding contributing factors, SEMCOG identified lane departures, impaired driving and intersections among the top causes for fatal and serious injury crashes.

There were 723 collisions resulting in either death or severe injury last year in which lane departure was a factor. About 39% of fatal crashes and 26% of serious injury crashes in southeast Michigan in 2024 involved drivers drifting from their marked lane.

Crashes that involved driver impairment decreased overall in 2024, hitting a 10-year low of 3,918. However, SEMCOG reported, impairment was still a top factor in traffic deaths, accounting for 36% of traffic fatalities.

The organization reported that there were 397 serious injuries and 145 fatalities linked to driver impairment last year, representing slight increases from 2023 (395 injuries and 141 deaths).

Grievous crashes at intersections across southeast Michigan jumped notably in 2024, the report found. There were 125 deaths in vehicle crashes at intersections (31% of all traffic fatalities), which was the first increase in fatal crashes at intersections since 2020, SEMCOG’s data shows. There were also 912 serious injuries in crashes at intersections (41% of all such crashes), which marks a 10-year high.

SEMCOG data shows that the most dangerous intersections in southeast Michigan last year were Drahner and Lapeer roads in Oxford Township as well as Metropolitan Parkway and Utica Road in Clinton Township. Both those locations were the site of seven fatal or serious injury crashes.

There was only one such crash at Greenfield and Plymouth roads in Detroit, but that intersection continues to have the highest rate of injury/fatal crashes over the past five years (2.8 per year), according to SEMCOG.

Other notable findings from the SEMCOG report:

• 2024 was a particularly deadly year for motorcyclists with 71 fatalities, a 25% jump from 57 in 2024 and the highest total since 2015.
• Total crashes involving pedestrians dropped to 1,180 in 2024 from 1,216 in 2023, the first decrease in that statistic in four years. Some 78 pedestrians died in crashes last year in southeast Michigan, down from 97 in 2023 and the second-lowest total in the past decade.
• Speeding decreased as a factor in fatal and serious injury crashes for the third straight year. There were 392 such crashes in 2021, 365 in 2022, 322 in 2021 and 300 in 2024.
• Crashes involving bicyclists increased for the third straight year (875 total in 2024) but bicyclist fatalities (seven) dropped to the lowest rate since 2021.

mreinhart@detroitnews.com

A 69-year-old White Lake Township man was killed late Wednesday on Highland Road after being struck by a car driven by an 81-year-old man from Holly, officials said.

According to the White Lake Police Department, preliminary results of an ongoing investigation indicate the man was attempting to cross Highland Road near Legrand Boulevard when he was struck by the vehicle headed east on Highland Road. Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the incident, police said.

Officers called to the scene at around 11:18 p.m. found the victim unresponsive and lying in the roadway, police said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police haven’t yet released the victim’s name.

Anyone with further information related to the crash is asked to contact White Lake Police Sgt. Brad Connell by phone at  248-698-4400 or by email at bconnelll@whitelakepolice.com.

This is the fourth fatality reported on Oakland County roadways in the past two days. On Wednesday morning, a Detroiter was killed after crashing his car in Bloomfield Township. Police suspect a medical emergency prior to or during the crash. And on Tuesday morning, a fiery crash on I-96 in Novi claimed the lives of two drivers — one from Westland and the other from California.

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It’s fall cleaning time for Oakland County’s roads and hundreds of people have volunteered to help.

The final Adopt-A-Road cleanup is Sept. 20 through Sept. 28.

So far this year, 381 organizations have sent volunteers to pick up litter and other debris along the county’s 598 miles of roads.

Road Commission Chairman Eric McPherson said he’s incredibly grateful for the volunteers’ deduction and asked drivers to keep them safe.

Volunteers will wear orange safety vests for better visibility and carry garbage bags while cleaning. Road commission signs will be posted at both ends of the designated road sections.

The road commission relies on groups to manage their need for more garbage bags or vests by calling the permits division groups needing additional garbage bags or safety vests can call the Permits Division at (248) 858-4891.

To learn more about Adopt-A-road, including volunteering for the final 2025 session, visit http://www.rcocweb.org/218/Adopt-A-Road or email adoptaroad@rcoc.org.

Lincoln Street is closed in both directions at I-696 in Southfield until mid-October for bridge work.

The detour is to go north to 11 Mile or south to 10 Mile and use either Southfield Road to the west or Greenfield Road to the east, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Lincoln Street closed early Monday, Sept. 15.

The bridge work is part of MDOT’s Restore the Reuther project. MDOT is in the final phase of the lengthy project, which involves rebuilding I-696 between Lahser and Dequindre roads.

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Students in Michigan have returned to school and with that comes a need for drivers to stay on alert and aware of school buses cruising through communities picking up children and dropping them off.

“Traffic tends to spike during the first days of school as many parents opt to drive their children,” Adrienne Woodland, a spokesperson for AAA-The Auto Club Group said in a news release. “We advise adding 30 minutes to your morning commute. Drivers running late are more prone to speeding, which endangers lives.”

Motorists also need to be aware of Michigan’s laws requiring motorists to stop when approaching a school bus pulled over with its red lights flashing and STOP arm extended.

The only exception is on a divided highway with a raised divider, yet 20% of Michigan respondents in a survey by AAA admitted to driving around a school bus while its red lights were flashing, which could result in fines and fatalities. A similar survey by the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services (NASDPTS) estimated nationwide there were more than 43.5 million illegal school bus passings during the 2022-2023 school year.

AAA provided this explanation of the laws in Michigan: “When it comes to a two lane street all drivers moving in either direction on a two-way street must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.

“In the case of a multi-lane paved median all drivers moving in either direction must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children AND the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.

“Traffic approaching an oncoming school bus on a divided highway do not need to stop if there is a raised barrier such as a concrete divider or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the lanes of traffic. However, these motorists should slow down and watch for students loading or unloading from the bus.”

AAA offers drivers these tips for school zone safety:• Avoid distractions• Remain focused on the road. No texting, eating or multitasking while driving.• Brake for safety• Slow down and stay alert. School zones are unpredictable, so be ready to stop at a moment’s notice.• Keep a watchful eye on pedestrians and bicyclists• Be aware of school zone signs, crossing guards, AAA School Safety Patrollers, and anyone walking or biking. Always yield and drive cautiously.

Other survey stats:• 46% admitted to speeding in an active school zone.• 33% admitted to using their hand-held cell phone while driving in active school zones.

Nationwide, nearly one out of every five children (age 14 and under) killed in traffic crashes are pedestrians, however, safety experts say distracted walking can be just as dangerous as distracted driving.

“Now is the time to talk to your children about traffic safety,” Woodland said. “Discourage students from wearing earbuds or looking down at digital devices while standing at the bus stop or walking near traffic. Otherwise, they may not hear an approaching vehicle.”

As part of its School’s Open Drive Carefully campaign, AAA has put together a guide for  parents of young pedestrians and offers the following tips:

For student pedestrians

• Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings and avoid using headphones or looking down at your phone when near traffic.• Use sidewalks where available. If not, walk against the direction of traffic so you can see oncoming vehicles.• Make yourself easier to be seen by wearing reflective, bright colored clothing.• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street to make sure the vehicle is stopping.

For bicyclists and those using scooters

• Always wear a helmet.• Ride with traffic and use bike lanes when you can.• Do not wear headphones so you can detect approaching traffic.• Cross streets at intersections- not from between parked cars.

For students riding the bus

• Arrive at least 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.• Stand five steps away from the curb.• Wait for the bus to stop completely and for the bus driver’s signal before boarding.