DETROIT, Mich. — A milder Valentine’s weekend is bringing more drivers onto Michigan roadways, and in Detroit, that warm-up could quietly shift traffic patterns.
After weeks of navigating snowbanks, icy overpasses, and cautious braking, the first mild stretch of February often creates a false sense of relief. Pavement looks clearer. Highways feel more open. Drivers begin accelerating sooner and leaving less space without realizing it.
This weekend, traffic volume increases.
Cars move steadily along I-75, I-94, and I-696 as couples head toward dinner plans downtown. Congestion tightens near Woodward Avenue and Campus Martius Park. Parking fills around Greektown and along the Detroit Riverwalk. Evening activity increases near Little Caesars Arena as people take advantage of the comfortable air before nighttime plans.
Warmer weather also brings more pedestrians into crosswalks that have felt quieter in recent weeks.
It’s not snowstorms that create the most risk during weekends like this.
It’s comfort.
When roads appear dry and manageable, reaction times can soften. Drivers assume braking will be smooth. They assume other vehicles are fully attentive. They assume winter caution isn’t as necessary.
Add Valentine’s anticipation — tighter schedules, distractions, unfamiliar parking — and the margin for error narrows quickly.
The combination of mild temperatures and increased travel across Detroit roadways Saturday and Sunday evening can quietly elevate crash risk, even without winter weather in the forecast.
If you’re driving anywhere in the city this weekend, especially after dark, stay alert.
Because sometimes the most dangerous winter driving happens when it feels like winter is already over.
