LANSING, MI — A $34.2 million federal bridge investment program (BIP) grant, supported by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), will allow the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) local agency bridge bundling program to fund work on seven more bridges owned by local agencies around the state.
The competitive grant award for urban bridges will allow the funding of these bridges in an expanded Phase Three of the innovative program:
- Fraser Street bridge over the Kawkawlin River in Bay County: This bridge is in poor condition, load posted, scour critical, and located along a major collector road impacting nearby sugar processing businesses, trucking companies, and oil tankers. Load restrictions on the bridge require a 5.7-mile detour.
- East Elm Street bridge over the Red Cedar River in the city of Lansing: Replacing this bridge will provide safe and equitable access to employment opportunities and accommodate future traffic volumes by restoring its load-carrying capacity to accommodate larger freight vehicles for area businesses, including the nearby General Motors assembly plant.
- Plymouth Road bridge over the Fleming Creek in Washtenaw County: This bridge is in serious condition, scour critical, and located along a curve where the outdated geometry has led to a high crash history.
- Beck Road bridge over the Johnson Drain in Wayne County: This bridge is in poor condition, load posted, and deemed scour critical. It poses a risk of closure from future storm events that would impact residents, causing delays and obstructing efficient school bus services and emergency response.
- Harrison Street bridge over the South Branch of the Ecorse River in the city of Lincoln Park: This bridge is in serious condition and considered scour critical. Subject to frequent high-water conditions, the bridge faces a risk of closure.
- Sashabaw Road bridge over the Clinton River in Oakland County: This bridge is in serious condition with a high crash history and has been load posted due to deterioration of the beams and deck, requiring a 5-mile detour for heavier trucks.
- West Spring Lake Road bridge over the Smith Bayou in the city of Ferrysburg: This bridge is in serious condition due to the deterioration of the beams. It has been load posted, causing impacts to truck operations.
Construction on these projects is expected to start in 2026.
"We are excited to receive this grant to maintain the momentum of our bridge bundling program as we work to help local agencies improve the conditions of their bridges," said Rebecca Curtis, Director of MDOT's Bureau of Bridges and Structures. "While these seven bridges represent only a fraction of the structures around the state in need of serious repairs, every bridge is important. Seven more communities will have new bridges to serve them for 75 years or more."
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The competitive BIP grant considered how the projects would improve the state of repair of the bridges, protect safety and mobility, contribute to economic competitiveness and opportunity, address climate change and sustainability, improve equity and quality of life, and deploy innovative designs or techniques.
"This funding enables us to invest in projects that modernize our infrastructure, support thousands of good-paying jobs, and ensure our residents and businesses can travel safely and efficiently for decades to come," said Zachary Kolodin, Chief Infrastructure Officer and Director of the Michigan Infrastructure Office.
Bridge bundling, which packages several bridge locations under one contract, streamlines coordination and permitting, increases economies of scale, and improves bridge conditions on local routes around the state.
MDOT continues to work on Phase Two and Three bridge bundling projects across the state in collaboration with local agency bridge owners. Phase Two includes five bridge replacements in the northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula, removal of five closed bridges, and the ongoing replacement of two bridges in Wayne County.
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Phase Three includes replacing one bridge in Iosco County that is nearing completion as well as bridge bundles that will be let for bids in 2024, 2025, and 2026. The 2024 bundle includes replacing two bridges in Allegan and Ottawa counties and removing one bridge in Benzie County. The 2025 bundle will include replacing five bridges in Branch, Jackson, Lenawee, Livingston, and Monroe counties. In 2026, the bundle will include replacing another five bridges in Bay, Huron, Lapeer, and Saginaw counties and the city of Flint.
Over the past four years, this program has replaced or removed 26 bridges to boost the overall safety of the transportation network in Michigan. Coordination and collaboration among MDOT, consultants, and local agency owners has been critical to the program's success. Through its consultants, MDOT provided scoping, planning, environmental clearance, design, construction, and inspection services without any cost to the local agencies.
