Interstate 275 (Michigan)

Interstate 275 (Michigan)

Interstate 275 (I-275) in the US state of Michigan is an Interstate Highway that functions as a western bypass of the Detroit metropolitan area. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) maintains it as a component of the larger state trunkline highway system. The freeway runs through the western suburbs near Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport. Along its routing, I-275 crosses several area rivers and rail lines. According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the length is 29.97 miles (48.23 km) while MDOT reports the length at 35.026 miles (56.369 km), a discrepancy due to a disagreement over the northern terminus.

According to the FHWA, I-275 ends at the junction with I-96 and M-14 along the boundary between Livonia and Plymouth Township. MDOT considers I-275 to extend north concurrently with I-96 to the junction with I-696 and M-5 along the boundary between Farmington Hills and Novi. Maps from other providers follow MDOT's lead and label the freeway north of M-14 as I-96/I-275. The southern terminus is the interchange with I-75 near Newport, northeast of Monroe. The original planned section north to I-75 near Davisburg was abandoned because of local opposition shortly after the existing highway was completed in 1977. A later attempt to revive the proposal failed in 1979. Additional plans to complete a state highway, known as M-275 through Oakland County were kept on the drawing boards through the 1980s, but failed to materialize.