Local planners of the I-75 Cap Feasibility Study that mostly spans the freeway through downtown Detroit reports it has reached a major milestone.
The vision for three public spaces that would reconnect neighborhoods divided by I-75 is now advancing into a funding strategy and implementation planning.
Supported by a $2 million U.S. Department of Transportation Neighborhood Access & Equity Planning grant, the effort seeks to improve walkability and mitigate negative community and environmental impacts from surface transportation caused by mid-century freeway construction.
Led by the Downtown Detroit Partnership, in partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation, the City of Detroit, and supported by The Kresge Foundation, the feasibility study offers updated renderings, programming recommendations, and technical findings that will guide the project’s next phase.
Over the past year, residents, business owners, community organizations, and other stakeholders helped shape a vision for three distinct cap spaces. To date, the project has received more than 2,000 responses through in-person engagement and online surveys, while collecting oral histories from residents, along with photographs and personal stories documenting neighborhoods impacted by the original construction of I-75.
The community contributions helped shape the vision for the three proposed cap spaces and ensure the project reflects the history, experiences, and priorities of surrounding neighborhoods.
“The I-75 Cap project represents an opportunity to reconnect neighborhoods, restore connections, and create new public spaces shaped by the people who call this area home,” says Eric B. Larson, CEO of the Downtown Detroit Partnership.
“Through nearly a year of community engagement, past and present residents and businesses have helped inform a vision that honors Detroit’s history while creating new opportunities for recreation, culture, economic growth, and community connection.”
The feasibility study results identified three destination spaces for a potential cap, each with its own character and purpose:
- West Cap: Playful, Dynamic, Urban (near Cass Tech/University of Michigan Center for Innovation/Wayne State University) — A youth-oriented gathering space focused on recreation, education, and community events featuring sports courts, shaded gathering areas, food trucks, and flexible programming.
- Central Cap: Vibrant City Hub (near Little Caesars Arena) — A setting for citywide celebrations and everyday experiences through a performance pavilion, an event lawn, an outdoor café, and neighborhood amenities.
- East Cap: Reflection, Memory, and Return (Near Brush Park/Paradise Valley) — A restorative landscape honoring Detroit’s Black cultural legacy gardens, walking paths, storytelling spaces, playscapes, and public art installations.
In connection with developing the public space vision, the feasibility study evaluated structural engineering, fire and life safety requirements, access and mobility, stormwater management, environmental considerations, and preliminary construction costs.
AECOM, the project’s engineering consultant, led the technical analysis, confirming the proposed highway caps are technically feasible while identifying key engineering considerations.
With the feasibility study complete, the project will move into the National Environmental Policy Act process. During this phase, additional technical analysis will further evaluate cultural resources, noise, air quality, mobility, and other environmental considerations while supporting coordination with state and federal resource agencies.
Preliminary cost estimates indicate the total project costs are approximately $300 million, or approximately $100 million per cap. The next phase will also identify potential public and private funding sources, determine long-term operations, and maintenance responsibilities, and evaluate phasing strategies to support future implementation.
“The completion of the feasibility study represents an important milestone, but it is just the beginning of the next chapter for the I-75 Cap project,” says James Fidler, urban innovation strategist at the Downtown Detroit Partnership.
“This community-informed vision provides a strong foundation as we move into environmental review, funding discussions, and future implementation. We remain committed to keeping residents and businesses engaged and ensuring the spaces created reflect the history, needs, and aspirations of the surrounding neighborhoods.”
For more information, visit downtowndetroit.org/I-75.
