Interstate 375 in Detroit; a doomed freeway?

Recently while visiting the City of Detroit I drove the entirety of Interstate 375.

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

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