NFL Draft in Detroit. New details about how to get around the city
(CBS DETROIT) - As the city prepares to welcome visitors from across the country to the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, it has released transportation details so people can be aware of their options and get around the city smoothly.
Road closures began on March 29, and additional closures have been added each week leading up to draft weekend, which is April 25 through 27.
The three secure entry points for the draft will be:
- Jefferson Ave. & Randolph Street
- Jefferson Ave. & Griswold Street
- Cadillac Square & Randolph
"For more than a year, Detroit has been preparing to host NFL fans from across the country and from right here at home," said Mayor Mike Duggan. "We want to make sure anyone who wants to celebrate with us is able to get Downtown to the event as easily as possible. Thanks to Sam Krassenstein, our Chief of Infrastructure, for leading this effort."
The following are some of the ways people will be able to get around during the draft:
QLINE
QLINE will be offering park & ride shuttle services for $5 per car on a first-come, first-serve basis at the following locations:
- WSU Lot 12 - Harper & Woodward - near the Amsterdam station
- New Center Garage - 116 Lothrop - near the Grand Blvd station
- Cass Garage - 6540 Cass Ave - near the Baltimore station
- John R & Piquette - 6230 John R. - near the Amsterdam station
The QLINE will run from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. from Thursday, April 25, through Saturday, April 27, and will stop at Sproat Street by Little Caesars Arena.
Fan shuttles
Other shuttle locations include the following:
- $10 per car - WSU Structures 1, 5, and 2 (first come, first serve) - 450 W. Palmer Ave
- $15 per car - Bagley Mobility Hub, 1501 Wabash Street- Fans are encouraged to prepay for a spot.
- $15 per car - River East Garage, 214 Rivard Street- Fans are encouraged to prepay for a spot.
SMART shuttles
SMART is offering park-and-ride shuttle services as well at the following locations:
- Great Lakes Crossing, 4000 Baldwin, Auburn Hills
- Lakeside Mall, 14000 Lakeside Circle, Sterling Heights
- Mt. Clemens Farmers Market, 141 North River Road
- Sterling Heights Meijer, 36000 Van Dyke Ave.
- Troy Civic Center Park and Ride lot, 520 W. Big Beaver Road
- Oakland Community College Orchard Ridge Campus, 27055 Orchard Lake Road,
- Farmington Hills
- Southfield Civic Center bus terminal, 24350 Civic Center Drive
- Westland Police Department, 36701 Ford Road
- Fairlane Town Center, 18900 Michigan Ave., Dearborn
- Lincoln Park Community Center, 3525 Dix Hwy.
- Southgate Meijer, 16300 Fort Street
Buses will depart from these locations once an hour from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on all three days. Officials say the buses will leave Downtown to return to the Park & Ride locations once each hour from 1 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and from 1 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
One-way fares will be $2 for an adult, $1 for children five through 18, and $.50 for adults 65+ and those who are disabled.
"SMART recognizes the NFL Draft is a tremendous economic driver that will bring thousands of visitors to Detroit," said SMART General Manager Dwight Ferrell. "But this event isn't just for visitors. SMART is focused on the people who live right here in Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne Counties. We are all about giving you access to this exciting event. This is a fantastic opportunity for local families who haven't tried transit to get on board."
People Mover
Starting at 7 a.m. on Thursday, April 25, through midnight on Sunday, April 28, the Detroit People Mover will operate 24 hours a day, with trains up to every five minutes.
All stations will be open.
"The People Mover was built for this - transporting Detroiters and football fans by the thousands from one exciting moment to the next," said DTC General Manager Robert Cramer. "No matter if staying downtown, taking one of our transit providers or traveling by car, riding our trains is the best way for Detroiters to easily reach NFL and Draft in the D activities quickly, and we are ready to provide great service around the clock for families and visitors during the long weekend."
Detroit Air Express
The new Detroit Air Express shuttle offers 16 daily round trips from Detroit to Detroit Metro Airport. The shuttle runs from 3:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day.
Tickets are $8 at the door or $6 if you make a reservation in advance.
The shuttle can be found at Detroit Metro Airport in the departure area of the McNamara Terminal and Ground Transportation at the Evans Terminal. In Detroit, it can be found on the west side of Washington Boulevard near the Westin Book Cadillac.
