The Downtown Detroit Partnership, in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Transportation and the City of Detroit, has selected AECOM to lead the I-75 Cap Feasibility Study in downtown Detroit.
In 2024, the Downtown Detroit Partnership, together with MDOT and the city, hosted three community-led Vision and Alternatives Analysis sessions, followed by online surveys to identify a preferred approach for capping a section of I-75 between Brush Street and 3rd Avenue.
After the engagement process, the community selected a series of three park caps as the preferred alternative. The caps could connect Ford Field to Brush Park, the Fox Theatre area to Little Caesars Arena, and the Cass Technical High School area to the emerging University of Michigan Center for Innovation along W. Grand River Avenue and W. Columbia Street.
The I-75 cap approach was identified as the most effective way to reconnect communities long divided by the freeway, and generate economic and social impact for Detroit residents, businesses, and visitors.
Funded by a $2 million FY2023 U.S. Department of Transportation Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Program planning grant, the feasibility study represents a critical next step in realizing the community-led vision to reconnect neighborhoods divided by I-75 through the creation of new public park spaces above the freeway.
“The Downtown Detroit Partnership is pleased to enter the feasibility study phase and gather additional community input that will help shape a lasting legacy for future generations,” says Eric B. Larson, CEO of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. “We look forward to partnering with AECOM to guide this pivotal project and deliver a visionary path forward.”
AECOM is a leading global transportation and infrastructure engineering firm. Locally, it has assisted with the rebuilding of the I-696 park caps in Oak Park.
Nationally, AECOM led the urban design and public engagement on behalf of PennDOT for the Park at Penn’s Landing, a cap over I-95 in Philadelphia.
Over the next 12 months, AECOM will lead a multidisciplinary team to deliver engineering, public space design, and community engagement services to advance the project’s design and construction viability.
The study will focus on:
- Community Engagement: Developing inclusive outreach strategies and hosting regular public meetings to ensure the design reflects community priorities.
- Public Space Design: Creating schematic plans and placemaking concepts for three proposed park cap designs and adjacent right-of-way enhancements.
- Transportation Engineering: Evaluating traffic, pedestrian, and transit impacts, and preparing early-stage engineering and environmental documentation.
“The I-75 Cap is an example of how Detroit’s transportation infrastructure can adapt to better serve the needs of the City’s residents, businesses and visitors,” says Jeromie Winsor, senior planning manager of AECOM Detroit. “We are excited to work with DDP and its partners to advance this initiative.”
Final deliverables will include design concepts, updated budget projections, construction phasing, and maintenance recommendations.
Since 1922, the Downtown Detroit Partnership, a member-based nonprofit organization, has convened civic, corporate, community, and philanthropic partners to create a vibrant and world-class urban core. The organization provides small business support and manages, programs, and stewards 18 parks and public spaces throughout downtown Detroit.
For more information, visit DowntownDetroit.org.
