DETROIT (WXYZ) — MDOT is pausing the I-375 Reconnecting Communities project in order to reevaluate how to move forward.
The pause includes the postponement of all scheduled meetings, as well as delaying the start of construction.
"We have one opportunity to get this project right," said State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich in a news release. "I-375 has been open for more than 60 years, and we expect the new I-375, whatever design it may be, to be in place much longer. Getting this right for the community and our stakeholders, while remaining good stewards of tax dollars, will remain our priority."
The pause comes amid rising costs and increasing public concerns. MDOT says it will allow them to reevaluate design alternatives and prepare additional public engagement.
However, MDOT stresses the need for the project to move forward in some form, saying several bridges in the project area have exceeded their service lives and need to be replaced soon to remain safe and open to the public.
The project was set to kick off in the fall and continue until 2029. It's not yet clear now when the project will begin and how long it will last.
Historically, the land where I-375 now sits was home to two thriving African American communities — Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. The construction of the freeway in the early 1960s forced residents to relocate, resulting in the loss of businesses, homes and cultural centers, creating division within the community.
Watch below: History lives on at Detroit's Black Bottom
