Interstate 275 (Michigan)

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Interstate 275 (I-275) is a western bypass of Detroit in Michigan. It is an auxiliary highway of I-75 and is kept up by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). The freeway runs from I-75 near Newport in Monroe County to an interchange with I-96, I-696, and M-5 around Farmington Hills/Novi. There is a long-running difference in how long the road is counted: MDOT signs it as about 35 miles, while the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) lists about 30 miles, because FHWA ends I-275 at the I-96/M-14 junction and does not count the portion that overlaps with I-96.

I-275 passes near Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport in Romulus, crosses several rivers and railroad lines, and connects with major routes including US-24 (Telegraph Road) near Carleton, US-12 (Michigan Ave) and M-153 (Ford Road) near Canton, and I-94 just north of Romulus. The southern end is at I-75 in northeastern Monroe County.

In the north, I-275 runs with I-96 for about five miles from the I-96/Jeffries Freeway interchange (on the border of Plymouth Township and Livonia) up to Farmington Hills, where I-96 then splits away. MDOT’s maps and signage show I-275 continuing with I-96, but FHWA counts the route as ending at the I-96/M-14 junction.

History highlights:
- A freeway version of I-275 was planned in the 1950s–1970s as a north–south bypass east of downtown Detroit.
- The southern portion was built and opened in stages, with the final segment completed in January 1977.
- The northern segment, which would have run from Novi to Davisburg, was canceled in 1977 due to opposition and costs.
- Later plans to complete the corridor were redirected into the M-5 (Haggerty Connector) project, which opened in stages from 1994 to 2002.
- A bike trail parallel to I-275, now called the I-275 Metro Trail, was developed and fully paved by 2011, with improvements completed by 2015.

Overall, I-275 serves as a western Detroit area bypass, helping traffic avoid downtown Detroit while connecting key highways and the airport.