
The I-75 Cap Design Engineering Project has received $2 million in funding to continue the next phase of the project as it moves to final design, enabling it to become shovel-ready.
The effort seeks to build new park and recreational space, or lids, over I-75 between Little Caesars Arena and surrounding areas to Comerica Park, Ford Field, the historic theater district, and other attractions. It would be somewhat similar to two lids of park space built over I-696 in Oak Park.
As part of the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Reconnecting Communities Program funding was awarded to the Michigan Department of Transportation to help bring the project proposed over I-75 to shovel-readiness with support from the City of Detroit and the Downtown Detroit Partnership.
The I-75 Cap is a locally led initiative that works to reconnect communities cut off from economic and social opportunities by prior transportation infrastructure decisions. The DDP has co-led the planning phase with the City of Detroit and MDOT with support by USDOT.
“We received tremendous community input during the three visioning sessions last year to inform the creation of the community preferred concept design for the I-75 Caps,” says James Fidler, DDP’s Urban Evolution Strategist.
“This new funding will help take the design from concept to reality as we continue to engage the community around how to best reconnect the downtown district to communities separated by highway infrastructure.”
The Downtown Detroit Partnership conducted three community visioning sessions in coordination with public partners to garner public input during the planning phase.
Based on the input received, a community-preferred alternative was selected, and a feasibility study will be conducted this year.
For more than 100 years, the Downtown Detroit Partnership has worked to support and strengthen the downtown community through strategic initiatives and programs. The DDP is also responsible for programming, managing, and operating downtown Detroit’s parks and public spaces.
For more information, visit downtowndetroit.org/.