LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced a new pilot program by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to streamline and bundle bridge projects together to make them more cost-effective and save taxpayer money. The program is getting underway in March with an initial round of 19 bridges set to be rebuilt this construction season.
“As construction season quickly approaches, we have an opportunity to make historic investments to fix a record number of roads and bridges across the state,” said Governor Whitmer. “Since 2019, we’ve repaired, rebuilt, or rehabilitated 13,198 lane miles of road and 903 bridges in every region of the state, supporting nearly 82,000 jobs. Michigan is fixing the roads with the right mix and materials, so they stay fixed, and creating tens of thousands of good-paying, skilled trades jobs along the way. Let’s get it done.”
The bridge bundling pilot project, the first of its kind in Michigan, encompasses 19 bridges owned by local agencies. MDOT expects bridge bundling, which covers several bridge locations under one contract, to streamline coordination and permitting, increase economies of scale, and improve bridge conditions on local routes around the state. MDOT is working to expand the approach, already in use on state trunkline projects, to address locally owned bridges.
The 19 bridges to be rebuilt this year, along with scheduled start dates and contracted length of the project, are:
Clinton County: Herbison Road (March 1, 90 days), Tallman Road (April 15, 90 days)
Eaton County: Five Point Highway (June 15, 60 days)
Hillsdale County: Squawfield Road (June 15, 60 days)
Ingham County: Linn Road (April 15, 60 days), Dennis Road (June 14, 60 days)
Lenawee County: Sand Creek Highway (Aug. 15, 90 days)
Lapeer County: Bentley Street (March 1, 60 days)
Livingston County: Mason Road (May 2, 60 days), Iosco Road (May 6, 60 days)
Luce County: Dollarville Road (Aug. 15, 60 days)
Jackson County: E. Washington Street (March 1, 60 days)
Macomb County: 33 Mile Road (March 10, 60 days), 31 Mile Road (March 16, 60 days), 26 Mile Road (April 15, 90 days)
Muskegon County: Maple Island Road (June 15, 60 days)
Ottawa County: Byron Road (March 1, 90 days)
St. Clair County: Palms Road (March 22, 90 days)
St. Joseph County: Nottawa Road (Aug. 15, 90 days)
During work, all bridges will be closed and detoured as requested by the local agencies.
