Detroit Grand Prix track nearly ready with minimal disruption to traffic
For the first time since 1991, Indy Cars will soon be flying down Jefferson Avenue in downtown Detroit.
In less than 36 hours, Detroit will be home to the screeching tires of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.
The event moved from Belle Isle to the city core this year and organizers are trying to disrupt a minimal amount of traffic all while keeping an international border open.
“We're in crunch time now. It's all it's all becoming real,” said Michael Montri, the president of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear.
He said crews will close another road Wednesday night and work through the wee hours to complete the track build-out.
“And through the day tomorrow to be ready for on track action on Friday morning,” said Montri.
This year’s track is only 1.7 miles long, about 600 metres shorter than the course on Belle Isle.
Organizers did that purposefully to keep the races on the riverfront and south of Jefferson Avenue to avoid interfering with the bustling downtown district.
“We want the businesses to benefit we want people to come down Park and go to a restaurant and then come to the event,” said Montri. “We want to have that walkability, that a downtown really gives you especially downtown Detroit.”
The track build-out took only 30 days and main roads like Jefferson Avenue have been open the whole time until 7 p.m. Wednesday.
Crews are making a final push to wrap up the build-out before racers arrive Thursday.
“It's a shortened build, but we're in really good shape and looking forward to it,” said Montri. “We're on schedule everything feels like a rush when you're trying to get done with a hard deadline like we have, but, but we're in good shape.”
The international border remains open throughout this entire process, race day included.
There are paid tickets available with grandstand seating, but anyone strolling along the river-walk or Hart Plaza can get up next to the track and watch for free the whole weekend.
“We have free viewing platforms scattered across the circuit so you can wander around and get up in the air a little bit and watch,” Montri said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
Iraq investigates a blast at a base of Iran-allied militias that killed 1. U.S. denies involvement
Iraqi authorities said Saturday that they were investigating an explosion that struck a base belonging to the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of Iran-allied militias, killing one person and injuring eight.