Interstate 375 in Detroit, a doomed freeway?

I-375 is a short 1.147 mile spur of I-75 in downtown Detroit which connects to the unsigned I-375 Business Spur on Jefferson Avenue. I-375 is the southernmost segment of the Walter P. Chrysler Freeway which carried largely by I-75 in the City of Detroit. Construction of I-375 began in 1959 and the freeway was open to traffic by late 1964 according to michiganhighways.org.

michiganhighways.org on I-375

The average traffic count on I-375 ranges between approximately 14,000 vehicles at Jefferson Avenue and approximately 54,000 vehicles at I-75. The low traffic counts on I-375 has recently led to proposals to put the freeway on a "road diet." In 2013 the Michigan Department of Transportation announced that it may at some point in the future remove I-375. In 2014 MDOT announced six proposals for I-375 which were eventually reduced to only two boulevard alternatives by 2017. In late 2018 a six to seven lane boulevard replacement of I-375 was recommended by MDOT. Meeting minutes from December of 2018 regarding the possible future of I-375 being converted to a boulevard can be found below.

I-375 Improvement Project Meeting Summary 12/13/2018

Given I-375 appears to be a doomed freeway I decided to drive it while I could in its present configuration. My approach to I-375 was from Comerica Park via I-75 north on the Fisher Freeway. I turned onto I-375 southbound via I-75 Exit 51C.

I-375 southbound has several unnumbered exits. The first exit accesses Lafayette Street which is signed as access to the Greektown Casino.

The second exit on I-375 south accesses Jefferson Avenue eastbound via Chrysler Drive.

I-375 south makes a sweeping right hand turn in front of the Renaissance Center before terminating at westbound Jefferson Avenue. The Renaissance Center is presently the company headquarters for General Motors. The central tower of the Renaissance Center was completed in 1977 and is the tallest building in Detroit measuring at 750 feet at the top of antenna.

The unsigned Business Spur I-375 continues on Jefferson Avenue westbound to Randolph Street where it junctions M-3 and the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel.

Comments

David said…

That sweeping curve on I-375 by the RenCen goes to the right in this direction of travel.

12:42 AM

Former US Route 101 through Sargent

Sargent is a ghost town and siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad located in southern Santa Clara County. The original alignment of US Route 101 was aligned through Sargent via what is now known as Old Monterey Road. Sargent was bypassed gradually due to shifts of the alignment of US Route 101 which occurred during 1941 and 1950. Pictured as the blog cover is a view on Old Monterey Road which is now no longer accessible to the general public. Below is a scan of the 1935 Division of Highways Map of Santa Clara County which depicts the original alignment US Route 101 through Sargent. Part 1; the history of US Route 101 in Sargent Sargent lies on land which was once part of Rancho Juristac. During 1856 James P. Sargent purchased Rancho Juristac and plotted what was known as Sargent Ranch. By 1869 the Southern Pacific Railroad coast line reached the relocated town site of Gilroy. The Southern Pacific Railroad coast line would be constructed through Chittenden Pass by 1871 whic

Tulare Lake returns

During the winter of 2023 California experienced one of the wettest seasons in recent decades. Enough snow and water were deposited into the Sierra Nevada Mountains that the runoff was enough to partially reform Tulare Lake within San Joaquin Valley. Tulare Lake was once the largest lake west of the Mississippi River by surface area. Tulare Lake has been largely dried for the past century due to irrigation divisions and upstream impoundments. This blog will examine the history of Tulare Lake and its recent return. Pictured as the blog cover is Tulare Lake from 19th Avenue in Kings County during early May 2023. Tulare Lake can be seen near its maximum extent below on the 1876 P.Y. Baker Map of Tulare County . Part 1; the history of Tulare Lake Tulare Lake is the largest remnant of Lake Corcoran. Lake Corcoran once covered much of the entire Central Valley due to being it being located at a in natural low point from where mountain run-off would accumulate. Lake Corcoran is thou

US Route 95 in California

US Route 95 within California exists within San Bernardino County and Riverside County. US Route 95 within California is approximately 130 miles factoring multiplexes along Interstate 10 and Interstate 40. US Route 95 in California begins at the Arizona state line along the Colorado River near Blythe in Riverside County. US Route 95 follows the general course of the Colorado River north through the Sonoran Desert to the Mojave Desert towards Needles of San Bernadino County. US Route 95 enters Nevada north of Interstate 40 and the historic alignment of US Route 66. US Route 95 was extended to Blythe, California during July 1939. Upon US Route 95 entering California during 1939 it overlapped and deleted much of the original California State Route 195. US Route 95 was extended from Blythe into Arizona during June 1960. Part 1; the history of US Route 95 in California The corridor of modern-day US Route 95 in California first came to prominence during the run-up to the creation of

Gribblenation

Search This Blog