I-75 Cap Receives $2 Million Federal Grant to Make Project Shovel-Ready

DETROIT (January 15, 2025) -– The I-75 Cap Design Engineering Project receives funding to continue the next phase of the project, enabling it to become shovel-ready. As part of the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) Reconnecting Communities Program funding was awarded to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to help bring the project to shovel-readiness with support from the City of Detroit and the Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP). 

The I-75 Cap is a locally led initiative that works to reconnect communities cut off from economic and social opportunities by prior transportation infrastructure decisions. The DDP has co-led the planning phase with the City of Detroit and MDOT with support by USDOT. 

“We received tremendous community input during the three visioning sessions last year to inform the creation of the community preferred concept design for the I-75 Caps,” said James Fidler, DDP’s Urban Evolution Strategist. “This new funding will help take the design from concept to reality as we continue to engage the community around how to best reconnect the Downtown to communities separated by highway infrastructure.” 

The Downtown Detroit Partnership conducted three community visioning sessions in coordination with public partners to garner public input during the planning phase. Based on the input received, a community-preferred alternative was selected, and a feasibility study will be conducted this year. The $2 million USDOT grant will provide funding to advance this project as it moves to a final design.