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

Abandoned US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon

Within the Truckee River Canyon in the Sierra Nevada range numerous abandoned portions of US Route 40 can be found alongside modern Interstate 80. This segment of highway was opened during 1926 as a bypass of the Dog Valley Grade which carried the early North Lincoln Highway and Victory Highway. The corridor of the Truckee River Canyon State Highway would be assigned as US Route 40 when the US Route System was commissioned during November 1926. During 1958 the segment of Interstate 80 between Boca, California and the Nevada state line was complete. When Interstate 80 opened east of Boca numerous obsolete portions of US Route 40 were abandoned. Some of these abandoned segments have been incorporated into the Tahoe-Pyramid Trail. Part 1; the history of US Route 40 in the Truckee River Canyon The Truckee River Canyon for centuries has been an established corridor of travel known to native tribes crossing the Sierra Nevada range. The first documented wagon crossi...

Former US Route 50 and the Pioneer Route Lincoln Highway on Johnson's Pass Road

Johnson's Pass Road is one of the oldest highway corridors in California. Johnson's Pass was part of the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road as it was completed during 1856 over the Sierra Nevada. The pass would later be incorporated into the Pioneer Branch of the Lincoln Highway in 1913 and US Route 50 in 1926. Johnson's Pass Road would be bypassed by a new alignment of US Route 50 over Echo Summit in 1938. A replacement of the Meyers Grade east of Johnson's Pass would be opened to traffic in 1947. Johnson's Pass Road remains accessible to traffic and is still signed by the Lincoln Highway Association. Pictured as the blog cover is the view from the top of Johnson's Pass Road overlooking modern US Route 50 and Lake Tahoe. Part 1; the history of Johnson's Pass Much of the history of what become the Lake Tahoe Wagon Road is discussed in the September 1950 California Highways & Public Works during its Centennial Edition. The or...

Former California State Route 41 past Bates Station

When California State Route 41 was commissioned during August 1934 it was aligned along the then existing Fresno-Yosemite Road north of the San Joaquin River. Within the Sierra Nevada foothills of Madera County, the original highway alignment ran past Bates Station via what is now Madera County Road 209, part of eastern Road 406 and Road 207. Bates Station was a stage station plotted during the early 1880s at what was the intersection of the Coarsegold Road and Stockton-Los Angeles Road. The modern alignment bypassing Bates Station to the east would be reopened to traffic during late 1939. Part 1; the history of California State Route 41 past Bates Station Bates Station was featured as one of the many 1875-1899 Madera County era towns in the May 21, 1968, Madera Tribune . Post Office Service at Bates Station is noted to have been established on November 23, 1883 and ran continuously until October 31, 1903. The postal name was sourced...

Gribblenation

Search This Blog