Towing in Utica, MI
To reach Utica, our trucks cover about 3 road miles from central Shelby Township, nearly all of it straight down Van Dyke Avenue. The price is a single figure, given on the phone before any truck heads out.
Straight down Van Dyke Avenue: how our trucks get into Utica
The run to Utica is about 3 road miles from central Shelby Township and almost a straight shot: south on Van Dyke Avenue to Hall Road (M-59), then a short jog onto Cass Avenue and Auburn Road, the crossroads the city has grown up around for more than 200 years.
The city is compact - 1.76 square miles of land and 5,245 residents at the 2020 Census - yet two state highways meet here. Hall Road runs along its southern border and the M-53 freeway along its east side, while the Clinton River cuts through the middle of town, so tell us which side of each you're on.
Tell us which of these fits
- Downtown - the nearest corner on Cass Avenue or Auburn Road, and which bank of the river you're on.
- Hall Road (M-59) - eastbound or westbound, and whether you're on the freeway west of Van Dyke or on the boulevard east of it.
- M-53 - northbound or southbound and the last exit you passed: 17 for Hall Road, 20 for 23 Mile.
- Van Dyke Avenue - the closest side street, such as Hahn Street, and which side of the road the car is on.
- A park - Memorial, Heritage or Grant Park, and which lot; Grant Park has one off Hahn Street and one off Nancy Street.
Then you hear a single price for the whole job, built from the miles, the truck your car needs, the minutes at the curb and the drop-off point. Our page on how a tow from Utica gets its price walks through each part, and nothing rolls until you say yes.
Emergency towing in Utica: where Hall Road's freeway ends, the M-53 ramps and Van Dyke
Hall Road changes character right at Van Dyke Avenue. West of it, M-59 is a freeway; at Van Dyke it becomes a boulevard called Hall Road and crosses the Clinton River. A car that quits in that stretch has traffic merging around it, so if it's blocking a lane, even partly, dial 911 before anyone else.
The M-53 interchange, exit 17, sits on the line between Utica and Sterling Heights. Northbound, its ramps split: 17A for eastbound Hall Road, 17B for westbound. Stalled on one of them? Give us the letter and whether you got past the merge, because the truck has to reach you from the right direction.
On the east side, county road work can narrow Schoenherr Road between M-59 and 21 Mile to fewer lanes while it stays open, as concrete patching did in the fall of 2026; the county's work-zone list shows the current closures.
On Utica streets, the Utica Police Department handles the scene. Michigan law lets police order a car removed when it obstructs traffic or can't be driven safely after a crash (MCL 257.252d), and that tow goes to a place of safekeeping at the owner's expense. When the call is yours and the car can be loaded safely, it goes where you choose - home, a shop in Utica or Shelby Township, or farther on the flatbed - as an emergency tow from Hall Road or Van Dyke Avenue.
Roadside help in Utica: trail and launch lots, Grant Park and an empty tank on M-59
Plenty of Utica calls end with the car running where it sits. Memorial Park, between Auburn Road and M-59 beside the river, is where riders park for the Iron Belle Trail, which links it to River Bends Park in Shelby Township. Heritage Park, on the Clinton River at Van Dyke Avenue, has a lot next to its canoe and kayak launch.
Back from a ride or a paddle to a car that only clicks? Usually it's the battery. We clamp a jump pack on, start the engine and test the charging before you pull out, so it doesn't quit again halfway up Van Dyke.
Locked out at the launch or at Grant Park's Hahn Street lot? Name the lot and the make and model; the driver gets the door open with car-opening tools.
Flats here often start in a pothole. Utica patches its own streets in dry weather; county roads such as Schoenherr belong to the Macomb County Department of Roads, which fixes potholes year-round and takes reports by service request. We mount your spare, or carry the car to a tire shop if the spare is flat too.
The National Weather Service tells winter drivers to keep the tank near full, to avoid ice in the tank and fuel lines. If the gauge loses that race on the M-59 freeway west of Van Dyke, tell us the direction, the last exit and gas or diesel; roadside service for Utica drivers brings enough fuel to reach a station.
Flatbed towing in Utica: AWD, EVs, river-soaked cars and anything leaving the area
With Shelby Township right next door, the car, not the trip, picks the truck. A front-wheel-drive sedan bound for a nearby shop can ride the wheel-lift. All-wheel or four-wheel drive, electric motors, a lowered body, a classic, or two wheels instead of four all mean our flatbed, even for a short hop across Utica, with every tire off the pavement.
The river gives Utica its own reason to ask for the deck. The Clinton River's floodplain crosses the western part of the city, and the city's 2025 parks plan calls for building Heritage Park to stand up to flooding. A car that sat in high water shouldn't be started or rolled; it rides the flatbed to a shop with the key off.
Every long run rides the deck too. Once a trip goes past the nearby towns - west across Dequindre Road into Oakland County, or south beyond Sterling Heights - we load the flatbed whatever drives the wheels.
A motorcycle that dies on Van Dyke rides upright on the bed, its front wheel in a chock and straps on the frame, never on a wheel-lift.
Winch-outs in Utica: Nancy Street's gravel, plow banks and the riverbank parks
Nancy Street, the unpaved street beside Grant Park that forms the boundary with Shelby Township, is the loose ground to watch in Utica. After rain or a thaw, a tire that drops off its edge can dig in quickly. Try once, gently, then stop spinning.
Snow is the more common trap. Plow banks harden overnight, and a car that slid into one at a curb or a driveway apron may need a pull rather than a push. Our truck stays on the pavement, the winch line runs to a solid recovery point, and the car backs out along its own track.
Michigan law also lets police order a car removed when that's necessary for public safety because of fire, flood, storm, snow or another emergency (MCL 257.252d). If an officer has already called for a tow, that order comes first; otherwise, call for a winch-out from a Utica snowbank or gravel edge.
Along the river we stay on pavement and in lots: the 25-acre Utica Recreation Area in the northwest corner is undeveloped land straddling the Clinton River, and the Iron Belle Trail is a hike-and-bike route.
Our trucks are light-duty, built for cars, pickups, vans, SUVs and motorcycles. A box truck, RV, bus or loaded trailer needs a heavy wrecker, and we'll say so as soon as you describe it.
Towed in Utica? City police for Utica streets, the State Police across the county
Utica has its own police department, so a car missing from a Utica street or a city lot starts with Utica police dispatch, the same line that takes the Department of Public Works' after-hours emergencies.
For the State Police, Macomb County belongs to the Metro North Post in Oak Park, which also covers Oakland County; its lobby is open weekdays 8 to 4. City Hall keeps shorter hours: Monday through Thursday until 4:30, Friday mornings only.
- From a Utica street or city lot
- Utica Police dispatch, non-emergency: (586) 731-2345
- Utica City Hall
- 586-739-1600 - Monday to Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
- State Police post for Macomb County
- Metro North, Oak Park: 248-584-5740
- No idea who towed it
- Secretary of State abandoned-vehicle line: 517-636-5234
From a parking lot, start with the sign. MCL 257.252k lets an owner tow without the driver's consent only after posting a notice at every vehicle entrance, lettered at least 2 inches tall on a contrasting background, warning that cars parked without authorization are towed at the owner's cost, and naming the towing service with its phone number. It has to be permanently mounted and in place at least 24 hours before a tow.
Still no trace? The Secretary of State's abandoned-vehicle page links its e-Services search; once you know the custodian holding the car, you show the registration or title to get it back.
Neighbors of Utica we also cover, plus the official pages
Shelby Township borders Utica to the north, and that's where our 24-hour towing in Shelby Township is based. Across Hall Road to the south is Sterling Heights. Hall Road heads east toward Clinton Township, the Clinton River comes down from Rochester, and M-53 runs north to Romeo.
- Utica, Michigan on Wikipedia - the city's story from its 1829 plat, its population and its place on the Clinton River.
- City of Utica - the official city site, with City Hall hours, departments and city notices.
- Utica Police Department - the dispatch line, records, traffic accident reports and traffic complaints.
- Utica Parks and Recreation - Grant Park, Heritage Park with its canoe launch, and the dog park.
- MDOT Mi Drive - live speeds, cameras, incidents, lane closures and MDOT snowplow locations before you head onto M-59 or M-53.
- Michigan State Police, Second District - lobby hours and the number for the Metro North Post in Oak Park.
- Census QuickFacts for Utica - population, land area and household figures.
Frequently asked questions
Do you tow in Utica, and how far away are your trucks?
Yes, at any hour. Shelby Township Towing handles light-duty tows, roadside help, flatbeds and winch-outs in Utica, about 3 road miles from central Shelby Township, mostly straight down Van Dyke Avenue. Tell us where the car is, what it is and where it should go; the total comes on that same call, before a truck leaves.
My car died on Hall Road right where the freeway ends at Van Dyke - what do I do first?
If the car is blocking a lane, even partly, call 911 first; police can protect the scene and can order a blocking car moved. Switch on the hazards. Once you're clear of traffic, call us with your direction and whether you stopped on the freeway west of Van Dyke or on the Hall Road boulevard east of it, so the truck arrives on your side.
My car was towed from a lot in downtown Utica - how do I find it?
Look at the signs at the lot's entrances first: before towing without consent, a Michigan lot owner has to post the towing service's name and phone number at each vehicle entrance. If police ordered the tow, Utica police dispatch is (586) 731-2345. For anything else, the Secretary of State runs an abandoned-vehicle help line at 517-636-5234 and an online search.
My battery died in the Heritage Park lot after a paddle - can you start it there?
Usually, yes. We bring a jump pack to the lot by the canoe launch, get the engine running and read the charging voltage before you leave - no tow needed. If the battery won't hold, the same truck can carry the car to a shop in Utica or Shelby Township, with the price settled on the call.
My car slid off the gravel on Nancy Street by Grant Park - is that a winch-out?
Most likely. Nancy Street is unpaved and runs along Utica's boundary with Shelby Township, and its edges soften after rain or a thaw. Our truck stays on firm ground while the winch line does the pulling. Cars, pickups, vans and SUVs are within our light-duty rating; a box truck, RV or loaded trailer is not, and we'll tell you on the call.
Does a short tow inside Utica cost less than a longer one?
Miles count, but so do the truck the car needs, the time it takes to load and the drop-off point. A short Utica trip keeps the mileage low, yet an all-wheel-drive or electric car still rides the flatbed. We tally those while you're on the phone and give you one total before anything moves.
Calling about a car in Utica? Four things to have ready
Answer these four and the price, plus the truck we're sending, is settled before anyone heads down Van Dyke.
- Where it stopped - a Utica corner such as Cass and Auburn, Hall Road and your direction, an M-53 ramp, or a park lot
- The vehicle - year, make and model, plus AWD, electric, lowered or motorcycle if any of those apply
- The trouble - no start, crash, flat tire, locked-in keys, empty tank, or stuck in snow or gravel
- The destination - home, a shop in Utica or Shelby Township, or a longer run on the flatbed