A project that would cap over sections of a sunken freeway in Detroit hit a milestone recently after getting approved for $2 million in funding. The money from U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Michigan DOT will help finalize the design for a shovel-ready proposal atop Detroits I-75. The highway capping will extend from Third Avenue to the west and Brush Street to the east, spanning several blocks. There will be new pedestrian overpasses that will provide better connections for Brush Park, Downtown, and Midtown Detroit. It will perpendicularly span Woodward Avenue, one of the key arteries that make up Detroits radial plan and come close to Comerica Park.AECOM helped compile a report which outlined the projects goals and shared project precedents. The initiative is a direct response to urban renewal, and the so many highways that exploded through Detroits urban fabric in the 20th century. The project backers used Philadelphias Chinatown Stitch, which seeks to cap over parts of the Vine Street Expressway, as an example of what theyd like to see happen in Detroit.The I-75 Cap project will restore city connections between neighborhoods, providing new spaces that create opportunities for community resilience, economic prosperity and recreation, Downtown Detroit Partnership (DDP), the nonprofit behind the project, said in a presentation statement.The capping will extend from Third Avenue to the west and Brush Street to the east, spanning several blocks. (Downtown Detroit Partnership)Through community-centered design it will support residents impacted by legacy infrastructure investments, prioritizing social equity, environmental sustainability, sound financial stewardship, and access for all, DDP added.In total, there will be three caps above I-75. One will be between Second and Third Avenue near Grand River, in proximity to the new University of Michigan Center for Innovation. The second cap will be close to Woodward, and the third will be between John R. and Brush Streets in Brush Park. James Fidler, DDPs Urban Evolution Strategist, and DDP CEO Eric Larson are both part of the project team. Fidler and Larson have helped lead visioning sessions to ascertain community and stakeholder input.Early renderings shared of the project show large swaths of green lawn bustling with activity, as well as playgrounds, walking paths, and pavilions.The cap will open up opportunities for public programming. (Downtown Detroit Partnership)Residents will enjoy new park space. (Downtown Detroit Partnership)Looking ahead, after this batch of funding, the project leaves the conceptual and visualization phase. Now, structural design and community planning phases can begin.DDP noted that the project will demand significant federal funding for completion.