Input sought on overhaul of I-375 in downtown Detroit

**Vic01** · September-14-16, 12:23 AM

Here's a chance for all the car/freeway haters...

Commuters, residents and others in the community have a chance Wednesday to weigh in on proposed plans to overhaul Interstate 375 in Detroit.
State Rep. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, is hosting a town hall meeting to discuss the six proposed alternatives being considered for the freeway and city riverfront connectivity, her office said. The event is scheduled to start at 6 p.m. in Chrysler Elementary School, 1445 E. Lafayette.
The lawmaker is expected to be joined by officials from the Michigan Department of Transportation, which has been involved in the planned redesign.
The aim of the town hall is to provide an update as well as give the public a chance to ask questions and offer feedback on the alternatives, Chang said.
“It’s really important that our government hear from people directly about which ones they prefer, which ones they don’t like, what their concerns are,” she said. “I would encourage people to come out and stay engaged. Whatever the decision will be, it will have a pretty big impact on many of our neighborhoods.”

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...ront/90338150/

**mikeg19** · September-14-16, 06:05 AM

Didn't we already go through this like year ago? At what point are we actually going to decide on a project and start moving on it?

**dtowncitylover** · September-14-16, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Didn't we already go through this like year ago? At what point are we actually going to decide on a project and start moving on it?

I don't remember reading about specific ideas that MDOT had. But that's just me and maybe they did have specifics.

I would hope they take their time with this because it's an important project to reclaim urbanity between downtown and Lafayette Park.

**belleislerunner** · September-14-16, 08:47 AM

Alternative 2 seems like the best approach.

It's like the 94 widening discussion - just do it and move on. We sit here and argue for 10 years while the entire infrastructure crumbles because no one at MDOT is mature enough to just make a decision and move forward.

Everyone will never agree with your decision - who cares. Your job isn't to be popular, it's to get things done.

**iheartthed** · September-14-16, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

I don't remember reading about specific ideas that MDOT had. But that's just me and maybe they did have specifics.

I would hope they take their time with this because it's an important project to reclaim urbanity between downtown and Lafayette Park.

If I recall correctly, MDOT released six proposals of how to age out I-375, ranging from rebuilding it as it currently exists to transforming it into a boulevard. They also provided renderings of each proposal. It generated quite a large discussion on here.

**mikeg19** · September-14-16, 10:43 AM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

If I recall correctly, MDOT released six proposals of how to age out I-375, ranging from rebuilding it as it currently exists to transforming it into a boulevard. They also provided renderings of each proposal. It generated quite a large discussion on here.

Correct. There was a thread about the 6 proposals about a year ago on here. Looks like they haven't made any headway since then on a concept. Hopefully, the winner is to fill 375 in and replace with a boulevard style street from Gratiot into Downtown.

**jt1** · September-14-16, 11:42 AM

Honestly, I'd like to go but MDOT has proven time and time again that resident input is nothing more than a formality.

They'll do whatever old 1950s plans they dust up tell them to do.
I'd like to say they're idiots but that would be unfair to idiots around the world.

**Scottathew** · September-14-16, 01:16 PM

Originally Posted by jt1

They'll do whatever old 1950s plans they dust up tell them to do.
I'd like to say they're idiots but that would be unfair to idiots around the world.

Nah, there are powerful business interests that probably would love to see it change into a boulevard.

**rbdetsport** · September-14-16, 01:26 PM

I like Alternative 4. It creates more development space for Greektown and Bricktown, as well as makes a more pedestrian-friendly environment to connect Lafayette Park to downtown and the riverfront.

**Jason** · September-14-16, 04:18 PM

I agree, 4 has good connectivity, clean intersections, is more pedestrian friendly, and opens up land for development [[which can cover up all of the parking garages). It still has a lot of space for trees [[good for noise pollution) and it's cheaper.

5 has a lot of the same benefits except that it does a better job of buffering the residential neighborhood from the boulevard, which is very beneficial. The tradeoff is that the west side of the road will be permanently unfriendly.

**brizee** · September-14-16, 04:37 PM

MDOT has been beating off the public with this going on 3+ years.

It had this exact same presentation and public input stage.

It was supposed to reveal the results Q4 2014, and NOTHING. No communication at all.

Then January 2016 it was unceremoniously delayed indefinitely.

Not taking this seriously.

**Junjie** · September-14-16, 08:26 PM

Option 4, plus option 2 for removing most of the 75/375 interchange, plus decking over 75 from the Lodge to 375 = two out of the three moats around downtown are gone. Here's hoping...

**casscorridor** · September-15-16, 12:00 PM

ditto

could actually be good for traffic as well, because there will be less merging lanes. of course, i'm not a traffic engineer. but it seems the previous poster is correct in saying this will mostly be about business interests wanting a boulevard for development now that Downtown is taking off.

**royce** · September-16-16, 10:03 PM

I went to the meeting. I had been to the last meeting held in 2014. In that meeting, the public was directed to pick which alternative they favored. In this one, representatives from MDOT and representatives from the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, who were there to talk about the link with the riverfront, spoke and then opened the floor to the public for comments. I actually spoke early and expressed my desire for alternative six. After that, there weren't too many folks from the neighborhood who favored any alternative that had anything to do with turning the freeway into a surface street. I was shocked.

Most of the folks expressed concerns that eliminating the freeway would open up Lafayette Park to undesirables. The proof is on football Sundays when the Detroit Lions fans invade their neighborhood and cause all kinds of havoc, attracting other undesirables who want to break into their illegally parked cars. Also, they didn't think it was necessary to open up their neighborhood to downtown for better connectivity. They already felt that there was enough access to downtown and that they didn't need anymore. There were even two architects, residents of Lafayette Park, who preferred keeping the freeway as a freeway. Again, I was shocked.

It's clear that Lafayette Park residents are NIMBYs. Should their objections to raising the freeway to a surface street be the final say? Or, should the wishes of the majority of Detroityessers be the final say? What will MDOT decide? Stay tuned.

**southen** · September-16-16, 11:31 PM

I am in the minority for sure in LP. Granted I have only been here for 5 years, so I can understand to an extent why people who have maintained the beauty for 20+ years are concerned. I love how close it is to everything and would love to see it further connected to downtown and the river.

My guess is that business interests and the Riverfront Conservancy will win out in the end.

**masterblaster** · September-20-16, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by royce

I went to the meeting. I had been to the last meeting held in 2014. In that meeting, the public was directed to pick which alternative they favored. In this one, representatives from MDOT and representatives from the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, who were there to talk about the link with the riverfront, spoke and then opened the floor to the public for comments. I actually spoke early and expressed my desire for alternative six. After that, there weren't too many folks from the neighborhood who favored any alternative that had anything to do with turning the freeway into a surface street. I was shocked.

Most of the folks expressed concerns that eliminating the freeway would open up Lafayette Park to undesirables. The proof is on football Sundays when the Detroit Lions fans invade their neighborhood and cause all kinds of havoc, attracting other undesirables who want to break into their illegally parked cars. Also, they didn't think it was necessary to open up their neighborhood to downtown for better connectivity. They already felt that there was enough access to downtown and that they didn't need anymore. There were even two architects, residents of Lafayette Park, who preferred keeping the freeway as a freeway. Again, I was shocked.

It's clear that Lafayette Park residents are NIMBYs. Should their objections to raising the freeway to a surface street be the final say? Or, should the wishes of the majority of Detroityessers be the final say? What will MDOT decide? Stay tuned.

The significant opposition expressed by Lafayette Park residents is baffling. I would have thought that getting rid of a freeway with all of that constant freeway traffic noise, somewhat restoring downtown's original street grid, and better connecting the neighborhood to the riverfront, would be something desirable.

Why so much NIMBYISM? You are in the core of the city?

**southen** · September-20-16, 02:48 PM

The common argument is that at grade traffic will lead to more noise and more cars coming through the neighborhood. Given the current freeway sounds and the fact that Lafayette is a common thoroughfare for emergency vehicles I find this claim to be an exaggeration to keep more people from coming through.