Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday that major repairs on local bridges will continue this month as the Michigan Department of Transportation’s (MDOT) bridge bundling project moves forward.
The bridge bundling program, which covers several bridges under one contract, streamlines coordination and permitting, increases economies of scale and improves bridge conditions on local Michigan routes.
The program is possible because of $196 million in funding signed by Governor Whitmer that allows the state to execute phase two of the program, which begins later this year on 59 bridges.
Officials say five bridge bundling projects started last month as part of a pilot program to repair 19 bridges under phase one. The five projects currently range from 38% to 77% complete.
All of the bridges encompassed by the pilot program will be completed and re-opened to traffic within 60 or 90 days from the start of repairs.
“Major repairs are ongoing on bridges across Michigan as we are continuing to fix the damn roads to keep drivers safe and save them time and money,” said Governor Whitmer. “Since I took office, Michigan has repaired, rebuilt, or replaced over 13,000 lane miles of road and over 900 bridges with the right mix and materials, so they stay fixed, supporting nearly 82,000 jobs. Last year, I signed a bipartisan bill that will fix 59 additional bridges across the state and today, I am proud that our bridge repair program continues to build on our progress. The projects we’re moving forward with will support even more good-paying jobs and keep families safe on our roads. Both my Rebuilding Michigan Plan and the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan I signed recently are helping us deliver on an issue that matters to us all—safe, reliable infrastructure. Let’s get it done.”
“We’re making good progress toward our goal of improving 19 local bridges throughout the state this year,” said State Transportation Director Paul C. Ajegba. “These projects should keep the bridges in service for another 50 years, continuing to connect communities, travelers and businesses. This pilot program will accelerate repairs, streamline construction, spark innovations, and create economies of scale, helping to rebuild Michigan’s infrastructure more efficiently.”
A list of the 59 candidate bridges, which were prioritized based on regional mobility and safety, can be found by . This phase focuses on closed and load-posted bridges. Some will be permanently removed while others will be replaced.
This year’s project, which is the first of it’s kind in Michigan, will repair 19 bridges in serious or critical condition that are owned by local agencies.
Officials say each bridge will have their superstructure replaced, which includes full removal and replacement of the bridge deck as well as supporting beams.
MDOT bridge staff and consultants are performing all of the design and construction administration work for the bridge bundling program.
The State of Michigan is working to expand approach, which is already in use on state trunkline projects, to address locally owned bridges.
The following northern Michigan bridges are among the 59 bridge candidates for phase two of the bridge bundling program:
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