DETROIT (WXYZ) — Plans to turn I-375 from a highway into a boulevard have been put on hold with no new start date planned.
In January, Governor Gretchen Whitmer and her cabinet axed the project, around the same time $3.5 billion in road bonds to fix Michigan roads where proposed.
It was back in the 1960s that I-375 was built, dividing majority owned black businesses and homes in Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. To this day, it brings up high emotions for those who want to see Detroit reunited by creating a boulevard.
PROJECT ON HOLD: There were plans to change I-375 from a highway to a boulevard are now on the back burner. I spoke with the Director of the @MichiganDOT who tells me a study on the project still needs to be complete, as well as more community meetings on the topic. @wxyzdetroit pic.twitter.com/Ua1xo24Db8
— Ali Hoxie (@ali_hoxie) August 14, 2020
“Being the history that Detroit has, it’s kind of always been the darker side of the history saying well let's just keep everybody separated,” said Detroit resident Cornell Lewis.
But others worry changing I-375 would disrupt already congested traffic in and out of downtown Detroit.
“I think it would be a little bit restricted, traffic, build up,” said Detroit resident Cassandra Samuels.
There was $180 million set aside for the project, with a predicted date to start construction in 2022. Now there is $6 million being set aside for the project, with $174 million going towards other projects.
These projects include the following:
- I-375 Capital Preventative maintenance in resurfacing and bridge work, $12,000,000
- Southfield Freeway pedestrian bridges replacement in Detroit, $9,368,000
- 8 Mile Road from Southfield Freeway to Woodward Avenue rehabilitation project, $65,000,000
- Michigan Avenue from I-96 to Cass in Corktown reconstruction, $20,000,000
- Woodward Loop Conversion reconstruction, $22,000,000
- Bridge rehabilitation as part of the Rebuilding Michigan bond program, $14,588,000
Paul Ajegba is the Director of the Michigan Department of Transportation. He says more community meetings are needed to get feedback to see what is wanted for the future of I-375, on top of a study looking at how changing I-375 would impact the traffic flow.
“We understand the history of how the freeways split the community, but to go from a freeway to a boulevard roadway it is a very tedious process that you have to go through,” said Ajegba.
Once the study is done, any changes planned for I-375 would need approval from the Federal Highway Administration.
“I think the decision to move the money into other pressing needs right now, in my opinion, is the right thing. We don’t want money sitting there when we have other needs that it could be used for,” said Ajegba.
