Downtown Detroit I-375 to become a surface street.

**gthomas** · June-10-13, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Downtown Detroit's I-375 could be transformed to surface street

By Marlon A. Walker | Detroit Free Press

June 9, 2013

...

I-375 could disappear and be replaced with a surface street, essentially closing the gap that currently divides downtown from its residential neighbors to the east.

The idea is one of several being discussed by stakeholders from downtown businesses. Much of the mile-long I-375, which is nearly 50 years old, is outdated and in need of repair. Several business leaders met in April to discuss the possible landscape change.

“I think we all know or are aware of the fact that the freeway is not in great condition,” said Faye Nelson, president and CEO of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy. “If something were to occur in terms of changes, this is the right time.”

Nelson joined forces with George W. Jackson Jr., president and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., and went to the Michigan Department of Transportation with the idea to open the floor for suggestions on the face of the corridor going forward, as Detroit continues to realize a downtown revitalization. She said rethinking I-375 now for businesses and residents could add to the “quality of life and the potential for economic development.”

“As it exists, 375 represents a barrier,” Nelson said. “It separates the community east and west of Jefferson. We are really looking to gather with our chief stakeholders to have a conversation on whether this is the right time to evaluate 375, and what is the best approach to take with respect to this issue. Hopefully, we can come up with a solution on whether there will be any changes to the freeway, what they are, how they will be funded.”

...

This could be a creative option[[s) to connect downtown/Lafayette Park to the Riverfront. Sort of like the dequindre cut with shops, restaurants and water activities..etc. Boat docking/fishing like this plan in Chicago :http://fotp.org/news/chicago-set-to-...-its-riverwalk

Everything is always based around cars, let it be pedestrian friendly, less car traffic. A nice wide, beautiful landscaped attraction-type development. Connection is key, I hope the plans are done right.

**gthomas** · June-10-13, 09:55 PM

Here's a image in Oklahoma City Bricktown:

Another one:

**gthomas** · June-10-13, 10:15 PM

I love this plan! http://www.worldlandscapearchitect.com/?p=7691

**Bham1982** · June-10-13, 10:30 PM

First post is wildly misleading headline, second post is completely off-topic, and third is ridiculous armchair urban planning.

Fourth post is annoying curmudgeon from the suburbs.

**professorscott** · June-10-13, 10:31 PM

The last time this came up on DY it was met with a good bit of skepticism from some of the regulars, but I can assure you it is being discussed very seriously by exactly the right people within MDOT and other stakeholder agencies. It would be a big help.

Is anybody aware of any other Interstate highway that, for any reason, has ever ceased to exist? Curious.

**Islandman** · June-10-13, 10:35 PM

Originally Posted by Bham1982

First post is wildly misleading headline, second post is completely off-topic, and third is ridiculous armchair urban planning.

This post is annoying curmudgeon from the suburbs.

Fixed........

**wolverine** · June-10-13, 10:41 PM

There's one that cut just NW of downtown Milwaukee. It was ripped out maybe in the last decade IIRC. Buildings are starting to fill in where it was.

Some people balked about how it was needed....but like I-375...it wasn't needed at all. Just excessive infrastructure that people used only because it was there.

**Bham1982** · June-10-13, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by Islandman

Fixed........

You do realize I was the fourth poster, right?

Now back to talk of riverwalks and pedestrian zones with canals replacing I-75...

**RickBeall** · June-11-13, 12:17 AM

I think that is a great idea .. just fill I-375 with water.

**Király** · June-11-13, 12:32 AM

Will the Hastings Street moniker be resurrected?

**Chinman** · June-11-13, 01:44 AM

well...the 375 exit to Lafayette leads right to Dan Gilberts Casino! Good luck with this plan.

**marshamusic** · June-11-13, 02:19 AM

Very cool.

But didn't anyone notice that Nelson said "the community East and West of Jefferson"???

[[Shouldn't this thread be merged with our previous one on this topic?)

**Honky Tonk** · June-11-13, 04:35 AM

Not this dumb-ass idea again! closing the gap that currently divides downtown from its residential neighbors to the east. Yep, for years we've been sitting on the freeway's edge wondering "How do we get across????" "If we could only join THOSE people!" Let's take whatever monies are left in the kitty, that weren't pissed away by Robert Fiasco's jailhouse, and make an artists pipe dream of what they think a City should look like. I can see all the blue-haired Busias from Clawson paddling their way to the Greektown Casino right now. Now THAT'S effective spending!

**Chicago48** · June-11-13, 06:15 AM

Originally Posted by wolverine

There's one that cut just NW of downtown Milwaukee. It was ripped out maybe in the last decade IIRC. Buildings are starting to fill in where it was.

Some people balked about how it was needed....but like I-375...it wasn't needed at all. Just excessive infrastructure that people used only because it was there.

Almost 60 years my family and I were uprooted -- as well as other blacks -- from that area. It was called "Black Bottom"....we had to migrate because of the freeway build out. We moved to the east and west side. It was very traumatic, because that area was very "close knit" and there were businesses. We were right down the street from Eastern Market and every Sat. we would walk there to shop. Funny how those plans don't work out long-term.

**Honky Tonk** · June-11-13, 06:35 AM

Originally Posted by wolverine

There's one that cut just NW of downtown Milwaukee. It was ripped out maybe in the last decade IIRC. Buildings are starting to fill in where it was.

Some people balked about how it was needed....but like I-375...it wasn't needed at all. Just excessive infrastructure that people used only because it was there.

??????????

**iheartthed** · June-11-13, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by professorscott

The last time this came up on DY it was met with a good bit of skepticism from some of the regulars, but I can assure you it is being discussed very seriously by exactly the right people within MDOT and other stakeholder agencies. It would be a big help.

Is anybody aware of any other Interstate highway that, for any reason, has ever ceased to exist? Curious.

According to Wikipedia, the Embarcadero Freeway in San Francisco was once part of the interstate highway system but it was removed from the system before demolition. So I imagine that MDOT could probably just petition the feds to remove I-375 from the interstate highway system then convert it to a state route.

**Brian1979** · June-11-13, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by marshamusic

Very cool.

But didn't anyone notice that Nelson said "the community East and West of Jefferson"???

[[Shouldn't this thread be merged with our previous one on this topic?)

I noticed it and right away thought, east and west of Jefferson? That's the direction Jefferson goes in, so it should be north and south of Jefferson.

**Hermod** · June-11-13, 08:12 AM

Wouldn't canals divide the neighborhoods worse than freeways?

A canal is a lot better for disposing of dead bodies. Better than pitching them into an empty lot.

**Hermod** · June-11-13, 08:16 AM

Originally Posted by Chicago48

Almost 60 years my family and I were uprooted -- as well as other blacks -- from that area. It was called "Black Bottom"....we had to migrate because of the freeway build out. We moved to the east and west side. It was very traumatic, because that area was very "close knit" and there were businesses. We were right down the street from Eastern Market and every Sat. we would walk there to shop. Funny how those plans don't work out long-term.

While there were a lot of vibrant businesses along Hastings, there was also a ton of substandard tenement housing. The liberal/progressive thought at the time was to build wonderful housing projects and move people out of the slums which were to be torn down. Like a lot of social engineering, it didn't turn out as envisioned. It just moved the slums to the housing projects.

**jaytheory** · June-11-13, 08:28 AM

Originally Posted by gthomas

Quote:

Downtown Detroit's I-375 could be transformed to surface street

By Marlon A. Walker | Detroit Free Press

June 9, 2013

...

I-375 could disappear and be replaced with a surface street, essentially closing the gap that currently divides downtown from its residential neighbors to the east.

The idea is one of several being discussed by stakeholders from downtown businesses. Much of the mile-long I-375, which is nearly 50 years old, is outdated and in need of repair. Several business leaders met in April to discuss the possible landscape change.

“I think we all know or are aware of the fact that the freeway is not in great condition,” said Faye Nelson, president and CEO of the Detroit RiverFront Conservancy. “If something were to occur in terms of changes, this is the right time.”

Nelson joined forces with George W. Jackson Jr., president and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corp., and went to the Michigan Department of Transportation with the idea to open the floor for suggestions on the face of the corridor going forward, as Detroit continues to realize a downtown revitalization. She said rethinking I-375 now for businesses and residents could add to the “quality of life and the potential for economic development.”

“As it exists, 375 represents a barrier,” Nelson said. “It separates the community east and west of Jefferson. We are really looking to gather with our chief stakeholders to have a conversation on whether this is the right time to evaluate 375, and what is the best approach to take with respect to this issue. Hopefully, we can come up with a solution on whether there will be any changes to the freeway, what they are, how they will be funded.”

...

This could be a creative option[[s) to connect downtown/Lafayette Park to the Riverfront. Sort of like the dequindre cut with shops, restaurants and water activities..etc. Boat docking/fishing like this plan in Chicago :http://fotp.org/news/chicago-set-to-...-its-riverwalk

Everything is always based around cars, let it be pedestrian friendly, less car traffic. A nice wide, beautiful landscaped attraction-type development. Connection is key, I hope the plans are done right.

instead of ripping it out, make it a tunnel, with green space on top and that separate one way blvds

**DetroitPlanner** · June-11-13, 09:07 AM

Still VERY preliminary. When it comes to priority fixes this one is low compared to many of MDOT's other pavements. It is nowhere near the end of its life cycle and not anywhere near as bad as many other segments of MDOT road in the region [[pavements, safety, operations, truck bridge hits....). Or as important as reconstructing Woodward in tandem with M-1.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-11-13, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

While there were a lot of vibrant businesses along Hastings, there was also a ton of substandard tenement housing. The liberal/progressive thought at the time was to build wonderful housing projects and move people out of the slums which were to be torn down. Like a lot of social engineering, it didn't turn out as envisioned. It just moved the slums to the housing projects.

While I don't disagree with a lot of what you wrote, Detroit never had a tenement housing issue as bad as what was chronicled by Jacob Riis and brought about modern planning. As far as substandard, that is a value judgement. Most of the housing in Corktown could be considered substandard, but I don't see people rushing to tear it down.

**southen** · June-11-13, 09:21 AM

i wouldnt be surprised to see this get the green light if gilbert ends up owning the jail site. if they are still offering discounted land for those who help fund it im sure he would jump all over that as well.

**Detroitnerd** · June-11-13, 10:17 AM

Originally Posted by RickBeall

I think that is a great idea .. just fill I-375 with water.

Cobo Canal!

**Detroitnerd** · June-11-13, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Hermod

While there were a lot of vibrant businesses along Hastings, there was also a ton of substandard tenement housing. The liberal/progressive thought at the time was to build wonderful housing projects and move people out of the slums which were to be torn down. Like a lot of social engineering, it didn't turn out as envisioned. It just moved the slums to the housing projects.

The Hastings Street neighborhood was remarkable in that the richest and poorest blacks all lived cheek-to-jowl and knew each other. Some historians theorize that Hastings Street was selected for the freeway path because it was a tightly knit neighborhood that gave black people a source of political power. If blacks could be dispersed across the city, and separated by income levels, they would be politically weaker. Then again, in the racial and political climate of the 1950s, it was the path of least resistance because black people didn't have the kind of political muscle to resist it. Conservative and liberal whites called it "blighted" and started revving the bulldozers.

Of course, what happened was, with the removal of restrictive housing covenants, blacks moved all over the city.

And then a lot of white people complained about that!

Check out Scott Martelle's "Detroit: A Biography" for more.