Detroit border crossing

[mkmommy]

Does anyone have the number to call to get the wait times?

I will not have internet access so I cannot check on line before we head out.

Does anyone know if the construction through Windsor is that bad? Everyone says to go through Sarnia but the border wait times have been about 90 minutes this week, so I would really like to avoid that if possible.

Thank you

 

[Melmac]

I can't help you out with the phone numbers for the border crossings but I can give you some idea of the construction.

In Windsor, it will depend on what border crossing you will want to take. I know there is some construction on the 401 coming into Windsor but from what I understand (from a friend that commutes), it is not too bad, especially if you are not travelling during rush hour. There is some construction on Walker Road and Dougall Road and this could affect your driving if you want to take the tunnel. If you take the bridge, there is no construction on Huron Church.

The major construction going on is on the US side at the bridge. There are major detours as the I94 doesn't connect directly to the bridge toll plaza anymore and you get a nice visit through some parts of downtown Detroit. It seems as if this route changes weekly so I can't even give you an idea on where to go. Also, last weekend, if you took the tunnel, you were unable to get to the I94 from the I75 directly (there was a detour there too). All the detours are well marked but you could run into some long waits on the highways when they are down to one lane. Hope this helps!

 

[MomtoEmIs&Ow]

there is a website www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/general/times/menu-e.html you can check

 

[snickerboo]

Dh is going tomorrow via Sarnia for Nascar weekend. I'll let you know what he says about the border crossing there. We only usually cross at Sarnia.

 

[maryliz]

The border wait times at Sarnia have been awful lately. As we waited over an hour the other day, DH and I were saying that in all our trips to the USA crossing at Detroit, we have only ever had a problem once, on the Detroit side, due to I-75 closed for construction. We've NEVER waited in Windsor like we have many times in Sarnia.

If you have a good, calm navigator, that will watch for the detour signs once you get into Detroit, it's actually pretty easy getting on I-75. As a pp said, they do seem to change the route often, due to construction, but just watch for the signs. You're basically doing a big square ... straight off the bridge, have to go left eventually, then you'll turn right so you're headed back in the direction of the bridge. Usually on an access road that runs parallel to I-75. Then you'll eventually veer left to get on the Interstate.

Our friends from Ohio always jump on I-75 north right off the bridge, get off at the first exit and jump back on I-75 South. We tried it once, but missed something, and ended up a little lost. So we have never tried it again.

I'd vote for Windsor over Sarnia anyday. but that's JMHO.

 

[TimNDansMom]

Dh had major problems crossing the border both in Sarnia and Detroit today. He had to go to Europe on a last minute business trip and we had already experienced the construction problem in finding a way to the I94 when crossing at Detroit a couple of weeks ago to go to the Henry Ford Museum. We had no problem crossing at Sarnia on the way home.

He thought he'd avoid the construction and cross at Sarnia and take the I94 down to the airport. He had allowed 6 hours to get there, thinking that was loads of time (unlike me who would have left home the day before! LOL). Unfortunately, he didn't know about the long waits in Sarnia this week and I didn't see this thread yesterday when I popped in quickly.

Usually I check these things when we are going on vacation but I leave him to check things out for himself on business trips. Obviously he doesn't but maybe now he will!

He called me several times during all this, but ended getting off at Hwy 40 and driving down to the 401 at Chatham. Then he discovered another big line up at Detroit.

Luckily he had a refundable ticket and instead of catching his NWA 4pm flight, he ended up catching the 7pm flight. He said he could have made the 5pm flight but after waiting in a long line to change his ticket, he discovered that he had to phone NW reservations instead, so missed that flight. It was a day of lessons learned for my Dh!

 

[maryliz]

Oh my goodness, Julie. I guess the hour and 10 minutes the other day wasn't all that bad! I will say though, when we got to the other side of the bridge, my DH picked the absolute BEST line and we whipped through much faster than all of the lanes beside us. That's the first time ever that we didn't "pick the wrong lane". I gave him credit for that for the rest of the day.

We had a 2 hour wait back in March coming back into Canada from Port Huron, and that was on a Thursday evening. It was frustrating because it seemed like we never moved at all for a long time, which was making no sense to me, since even in a lineup on the bridge, the traffic should still move every once in a while as cars clear the customs plaza.

If I lived in a border city, I'd for sure get a Nexus pass.

 

[Jen M]

I have heard from someone that was at the Detroit airport recently that the detour for the construction isn't bad.

My MIL went to Port Huron on Tues and she said the wait at the border was an hour and then their vehicle was randomly selected to be inspected.

 

[CanadianPaco]

My advice for any border crossing -- go early. If you can cross earlier in the day, the better. Not perfect but better!

 

[MainStreetMouse]

I cross the border into the USA often at the Ambassador Bridge.

Here are a few tips that I use as a rule of thumb.

There will often be delays Monday thru Friday mornings (8am - 10am). This is due to people living in Windsor heading to work in the USA. Also morning truck traffic picks up.

Check for special events such as Red Wing games, Tiger games, and Lions games and avoid crossing 2 hours before these events. (Also major concerts at Ford Field can cause delays).

Sunday mornings is a great time to cross the border, not much traffic BUT also not as many customs lanes will be open.

As soon as you get on the bridge stay or get into the left lane, the right lane will be for truck traffic and that lane can back up a bit.

Toll at the Bridge is $4 US or CAN and is payable after exited customs.

Gary

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Last Saturday my family and I arrived at the Ambassador Bridge around 6:30 AM and saw a lot of cars so we thought we would wait at least 20 or more minutes. However we got lucky and went into a lane that was moving very fast, so it only took us about 5 minutes to cross. The border guard asked where we were going, if we had any food and then took a quick look in the back seat. After that we were allowed to go through.

 

[TimNDansMom]

MaryLiz this was certainly the worse situation that Dh had ever encountered trying to get across. I'm certainly glad I wasn't with him, I would have been a mess, trying to catch a flight! When he first called me and asked how was my day going, I knew something was wrong!

When we went across a couple of weeks ago there weren't that many cars waiting to cross at Detroit but it was really slow moving. Several Border Guards and a dog were walking among the cars and were looking in the back of vans and vehicles took forever at the booth. When it finally was our turn at the booth we were through in seconds, though. It was around 9pm on a Thursday evening.

Our October SW flight is at 11:25am on a Monday morning, from Detroit, and we were just going to leave home early and drive to the airport but now I'm definitely going to book a hotel the night before and check the DOT website for up to date detours.

 

[Luhts]

It doesn't seem to have made the news anywhere outside of Sarnia, but they have had two bomb threats at the border there this summer, so that may be why there have been increased delays. I know the last time we went over, before this happened, we just sailed thru but anyone I've talked to who has gone this summer has had long waits. We've decided to change our plans b/c of this and go across the night before our flight. I still don't feel I want to drive to Windsor when we are so close to Sarnia. Who knows...we may luck out and breeze right thru, but better safe than sorry.

 

[maryliz]

Our October SW flight is at 11:25am on a Monday morning, from Detroit, and we were just going to leave home early and drive to the airport but now I'm definitely going to book a hotel the night before and check the DOT website for up to date detours.

Much less stressful! Although I have to say that I never sleep in a hotel before going on a trip ... too worried that I'm going to miss the alarm/wake-up call. But that's better than sitting on top of the bridge wondering if I'm gonna make my flight or not!

Wish I were going on a flight anytime soon.

 

[Jen M]

MaryLiz this was certainly the worse situation that Dh had ever encountered trying to get across. I'm certainly glad I wasn't with him, I would have been a mess, trying to catch a flight! When he first called me and asked how was my day going, I knew something was wrong!

When we went across a couple of weeks ago there weren't that many cars waiting to cross at Detroit but it was really slow moving. Several Border Guards and a dog were walking among the cars and were looking in the back of vans and vehicles took forever at the booth. When it finally was our turn at the booth we were through in seconds, though. It was around 9pm on a Thursday evening.

Our October SW flight is at 11:25am on a Monday morning, from Detroit, and we were just going to leave home early and drive to the airport but now I'm definitely going to book a hotel the night before and check the DOT website for up to date detours.

If you go to Marrott's website they have some really good deals on park and Fly. We are staying at the Fairfield we stay there last year and didn't do the park and fly but after hearing how easy it is we are going to do. Also since we are going for 9 days it is going to save us about $50 on parking.

 

[Jen M]

It doesn't seem to have made the news anywhere outside of Sarnia, but they have had two bomb threats at the border there this summer, so that may be why there have been increased delays. I know the last time we went over, before this happened, we just sailed thru but anyone I've talked to who has gone this summer has had long waits. We've decided to change our plans b/c of this and go across the night before our flight. I still don't feel I want to drive to Windsor when we are so close to Sarnia. Who knows...we may luck out and breeze right thru, but better safe than sorry.

You can always take one of the ferry's over instead. The one in Sombra isn't that far from Sarnia and it will actually get you futher south in Michigan when you cross than Sarnia would and a shorter wait.

 

[Luhts]

You can always take one of the ferry's over instead. The one in Sombra isn't that far from Sarnia and it will actually get you futher south in Michigan when you cross than Sarnia would and a shorter wait.

Never thought of that. My kids would love a ferry ride. Why don't more ppl do it, tho, if it's a shorter distance/wait? How much is it?

 

[sk8jdgca]

There are 2 ferry crossings- take hyw 40 south towards chatham the first one is sombra-it is a bit busier-cost is $6. But when you get off it is quite easy to hook up with I 96. The ferry ride is 5-10 minutes
the next one is on Walpole Island- I have never had to wait longer than the time for the ferry to get over, however there is construction on M29 before you get to the highway (it is a 15 minute drive).

Highway 40 has construction on it- take the detour towards the river