Archaeological Dig Kicks off at Detroit Riverfront Before I-375 Overhaul

Work crews started digging 20 feet deep near Detroit's water this week as part of an archaeological project. The dig comes before work on the I-375 reconstruction project starts next year. By the end of the project, workers will turn the 1.1-mile road into a six-lane bulevard. 

The dig aims to look for historical features that may have been lost during original construction of I-375. The U.S. government backs this search for items from the past. 

"It was gentrification," said Ken Coleman, a Detroit historian. "It was one of the earliest gentrification processes that was carried out, certainly in Detroit, but maybe throughout the nation."

When I-375 went up in 1959, it destroyed Black Bottom. The neighborhood was a key part of African American life in early 1900s Detroit. Famous people like boxer Joe Louis and former Mayor Coleman Young once lived there.

Black Bottom gave many African Americans a place to start when they moved north from southern states. Its Paradise Valley area grew into a busy spot for shops and other businesses.

"There's no doubt we need to study this history, learn from this history, and ultimately respond to this history in a very significant way," Coleman said.

While the archeological dig lasts through August, cars can still use I-375 and Jefferson Avenue.

When reconstruction is finished, the street will have six lanes for cars between I-75 and Jefferson Avenue. Bikes will get their own path on the east side for the first time since 1959.

New pipes go in during spring 2026. By 2029, the whole project will connect Lafayette Park to the water downtown. This big switch marks the first major update since the road went in over 60 years ago.