commute
US-23 Commute Profile: The North-South Spine
Exits, neighborhoods, and the mistakes worth avoiding.
The Route in One Paragraph
US-23 runs north to south along the east side of Ann Arbor. Most commuters pick it up between Brighton and Milan and use it as their fast connection to the city. It has four exits that matter, Plymouth Road, Geddes Road, Washtenaw Avenue, and State Street, and each one serves a different set of employers and neighborhoods. Use the wrong exit and you add ten minutes of surface street to a fast freeway trip.
Who US-23 Is For
US-23 is the right call for anyone living in Whitmore Lake, Brighton, South Lyon, Milan, or Dundee who works at Michigan Medicine, NCRC, the VA, or Domino's Farms. It is also the right call for Saline residents heading to the east side of town. If you live inside Ann Arbor proper, US-23 is usually not your best local option. The freeway geometry rewards longer trips.
Commuters from Dexter and Chelsea should use M-14 or I-94 instead. US-23 does not help you if you are already west of town.
The Four Exits That Matter
Plymouth Road, exit 41, is the exit for NCRC, Domino's Farms, and the north side of Michigan Medicine. It is also the exit for Northside, Bryant, and the northern edge of Ann Arbor Hills. This is the first exit to back up in the morning, because NCRC and Domino's Farms both hit their peak inbound at 8:15.
Geddes Road, exit 39, is the quiet hero of US-23. It serves East Medical Campus, the VA, and a lot of the Huron Hills and Ann Arbor Hills neighborhoods. It is less congested than Plymouth and often saves time even if your destination is closer to the Plymouth exit.
Washtenaw Avenue, exit 37B, is the main exit for downtown Ann Arbor, UMich Central Campus, Arborland, and the Washtenaw Avenue corridor. It is the worst exit at peak. Avoid it southbound if you can.
State Street, exit 37, is the exit for Briarwood Mall, the south end of State Street, and the back way into UMich South Campus. It is often faster than Washtenaw even when your destination is downtown.
Construction History and What It Taught Us
US-23 has been rebuilt and widened in phases over the last several years. The flex lane project added a part-time shoulder lane between M-14 and 9 Mile Road, which helps northbound evening traffic more than it helps southbound morning traffic.
The big lesson from those construction seasons is that the corridor has latent demand. When capacity was reduced, people shifted to Whitmore Lake Road and Earhart Road. When capacity came back, those shortcuts did not fully empty out. Locals remember them, and you will still see a steady flow on Whitmore Lake Road at 8 a.m.
Neighborhoods That Actually Benefit
Whitmore Lake is the cleanest US-23 commute in the county. Lake access, a short drive to NCRC, and a quiet evening trip home. If you work at Michigan Medicine and want single-family space under Ann Arbor prices, this is the play.
South Lyon works if your office is on the north side of Ann Arbor. Use 8 Mile Road to US-23 and exit at Plymouth.
Milan and Dundee work for the reverse, south end of Ann Arbor or the St. Joe's area. Milan is the sweet spot if you want a small town feel with a 20-minute shot to town.
Saline residents use US-23 to reach the east side of Ann Arbor. The catch is that you have to get to US-23 first, which usually means Saline-Ann Arbor Road to State Street or Milan Road north to the freeway.
Common Mistakes
The most common mistake is exiting at Washtenaw when State Street would be faster. Washtenaw is the obvious exit for downtown, but the surface street section from the ramp to State Street takes 12 minutes at 5 p.m. The State Street exit puts you on Briarwood Circle in two minutes and onto South State in four.
The second mistake is taking US-23 when M-14 would be faster. If you are coming from the Plymouth, Northville, or Livonia side, M-14 to US-23 adds miles. M-14 direct into town is usually better.
The third mistake is trusting navigation apps for the last mile. They will send you down Earhart or Dixboro when the freeway is clear. The Earhart detour is slower at peak because the two-lane road has no passing room.
Final Take
US-23 is the best commuter freeway in the county if you live north or south of Ann Arbor and work on the east side of town. Learn the Geddes exit, respect the Washtenaw exit, and you will save meaningful time every week.
If you are house hunting, think about which exit you would use before you think about which neighborhood to buy in. The exit determines the commute more than the address.
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