Downtown Detroit Partnership kicks off I-75 Cap Feasibility Study with Public Meeting, Oct. 2
The organization will host a virtual meeting that will be free and open to the public
DETROIT (September 12, 2025) — The Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), in collaboration with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) and the City of Detroit, will kick off the I-75 Cap Feasibility Study with an online Public Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 2, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
The feasibility phase of the I-75 Cap project will advance engineering and further develop the design. The virtual meeting offers an opportunity for residents, businesses, schools, religious and cultural institutions to help shape the vision for reconnecting neighborhoods to Downtown. During the virtual meeting, the DDP will share details about how and why the project was conceived, provide a project update, and conduct a question-and-answer session.
“As the vision of downtown continues to evolve, the DDP is committed to keeping the community and stakeholders informed,” said Eric B. Larson, DDP CEO. “Public input is vital to the process, and the DDP and our partners welcome the community’s insight as we create a shared vision for our evolving downtown ecosystem.”
The I-75 Cap Project received funding from a $2 million FY2023 U.S. Department of Transportation Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) Program planning grant to support the feasibility study. In 2024, the DDP hosted three community visioning sessions, funded by The Kresge Foundation, and gathered input from hundreds of community members.
Last month, AECOM, a leading global transportation and infrastructure engineering firm, was selected to spearhead the feasibility study. The online Public Meeting will serve as a kickoff to the feasibility study phase, which includes ongoing community engagement and will continue over the next 12 months.
The feasibility phase will also include the creation of schematic plans and placemaking concepts for three proposed park cap designs and adjacent right-of-way enhancements, as well as an evaluation of traffic, pedestrian, and transit impacts, and preparing early-stage engineering and environmental documentation.
The virtual meeting is free and open to the public. To access the meeting and receive details about the virtual I-75 Cap Public Meeting, visit: DowntownDetroit.org/i75cap.
Background:
In 2024, the DDP, in collaboration with the MDOT and the City of Detroit, hosted three community-led Vision and Alternatives Analysis sessions followed by online surveys to explore concepts for capping a section of I-75 between Brush Street and Third Avenue in Downtown Detroit. After a robust engagement process, the community selected a series of three park caps as the preferred alternative. This approach was seen as the most effective way to reconnect neighborhoods long divided by the freeway and to generate economic and social benefits for Detroit residents, businesses, and visitors.
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About the Downtown Detroit Partnership
Since 1922, the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP) has worked to cultivate social and economic impact in Downtown Detroit. As a member-based nonprofit, the DDP convenes civic, corporate, community and philanthropic partners to create a vibrant and world-class urban core. As a leader in Downtown urban innovation, the organization also provides small business support and manages, programs and stewards 18 parks and public spaces throughout Downtown Detroit. Learn more at DowntownDetroit.org and engage on social media @DowntownDet.
