I-375 demolition project open house to be held at Eastern Market
DETROIT (FOX 2) - The Michigan Department of Transportation has scheduled a public open house for a major highway revitalization project in Detroit.
Anyone interested in weighing in on and hearing about the proposal to transform I-375 can tune in during two meetings next April 19. They will both happen in Eastern Market at Shed No. 3 at 4 p.m. and again at 7 p.m.
Plans to remove the highway, which was built decades ago and resulted in the uprooting of multiple Detroit neighborhoods, have been discussed for years. Recently, MDOT has been more explicit about its intention to take out the freeway extension and replace it with a boulevard.
Last year, the federal government allocated $100 million to the project, which moved the timeline for its transformation up two years.
Stakeholders that plan to attend the meetings will hear updates on the project as well as see early planning efforts and design options of the corridor.
The MDOT website said the project would address outdated designs and blighted infrastructure in the area, as well as improve connectivity in the city. "The project is taking an equitable approach to incorporating the history of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley neighborhoods that were removed for urban renewal and construction of the freeway."
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The federal transportation agency's decision to send more than a hundred million dollars is part of a larger goal of the government to take another look at how roadways disrupted minority communities.
During the funding announcement, MDOT said it would have design plans possibly finalized in 2023.