DETROIT – The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) announced a pause to the I-375 Reconnecting Communities project in Detroit, citing rising costs and design concerns. The decision leaves $37 million already invested in preliminary work as the department reevaluates the project’s future.
“I was totally surprised. Every meeting, it was always, ‘We have to keep moving forward.’ This project was going to happen. We had almost begun to lose faith that it was going to consider our concerns,” said Kimle Nailer of the ReThink I-375 Community Coalition.
Detroit Greenways Coalition’s Todd Scott shared the sentiment: “I was shocked. There were no hints that this was coming.”
MDOT officials cited three primary factors for the delay: increasing costs, questions about the longevity of the final project and roadway, and public concerns regarding design elements.
The pause affects all currently scheduled meetings while the department reviews design alternatives.
“What was not being considered is how much this disrupts land use and the massive impact on businesses,” Nailer said.
While the project faces delays, MDOT acknowledged pressing infrastructure issues that require attention. At least four bridge locations along the corridor need immediate action plans.
Scott expressed disappointment at the delay.
“We are advocates for biking and walking, and we felt this could really improve biking and walking,” he said, though he remains hopeful the project will eventually move forward.
MDOT spokesperson Jocelyn Garza said the $37 million already invested in the project has yielded valuable information that the agency plans to utilize in future design phases.
However, when asked about comparing initial cost estimates to actual expenditures, Garza indicated that inflation over recent years makes direct comparisons challenging.
Nailer recognizes the project needs to happen, but she believes it needs to reflect community input.
“Yes, something has to be done because of the age of the road and those bridges,” she said.