Lansing's freeways form a rough box around the city and the Michigan State campus. I-96 curves around the west and south sides toward Grand Rapids and Detroit, I-69 crosses the north side toward Flint and heads southwest toward Charlotte, and US 127 runs north-south along the east side between Jackson and the East Lansing area. I-496 cuts through the middle, passing just south of the Capitol and downtown to connect I-96 with US 127. Michigan Avenue is the city's main street, running straight from the Capitol dome to the edge of campus, while Saginaw Street, Grand River Avenue and Cedar Street carry most of the remaining crosstown traffic.
I-496 through downtown and its interchange with US 127 are the usual slow spots, especially on MSU home game days. Breakdowns pile up there and on the open stretches of I-96, where winter wind drifts snow across the lanes. The city itself is flat and laid out on a regular grid, so getting a mechanic to a Westside driveway or an Eastside side street is rarely difficult.
Capital Region International Airport is on the northwest edge of the city, small enough that a repair in its lots is quick. The regional bus system connects downtown with East Lansing and the campus, and the Lansing River Trail follows the Grand and Red Cedar rivers through the middle of town. Because the area is so spread out, many households keep two cars and leave one parked for days, and that second car is often the one that won't start when it's finally needed.