$279 million of Cobo Center upgrades near completion for auto show

The 2015 North American International Auto Show is fast approaching - just two weeks away.

Cobo Center and the surrounding area are undergoing some big upgrades just in time.

Numerous construction workers and others are working hard to ensure that Cobo will be ready for the auto show starting January 17 through the 25. 

FOX 2's Charlie Langton went down to check out the progress of a $279 million expansion.

"You're looking at new construction, new windows," said Quentin Knight, a member of the construction crew. "New ground work, new lights. Just make downtown more beautiful."

Starting Friday, the road in front of Cobo was open. 

Langton got a sky-high look at the project from a cherry picker, 55 feet in the air.

Today pedestrian signals and traffic lights were hooked up at the intersection of West Jefferson and Washington Boulevard, said Grady Rollins of the Mannik Smith Group.

"We're going to bring people from the outskirts of metro Detroit to downtown," Knight said. 

Rollins said the project is more evidence of the revitalization of the city.

"It's a very positive outlook for the whole city," he said. "All the work going on. It's a good thing."