"The detour route will be improved prior to the bridge closure, and motorists should find that the detour will only add a few minutes to their trip," said John Batchelder, MDOT's Newberry Transportation Service Center (TSC) manager. "Although the detour route will be open to commercial trucks, those drivers may wish to use the alternate route to the north."
In addition to the deck replacement, MDOT will be making repairs to the bridge's steel superstructure, paving the approaches to the bridge and upgrading the guardrails. Repairs also will be made to the walking path and historic sandstone portions of the bridge. This new bridge deck is expected to last 40 years, and will help preserve the overall condition of the bridge.
The roadside parks at either end of the bridge will also be closed during construction.
For more information on this project, call the Newberry TSC at 866-740-6368, or visit the MDOT Web site at www.michigan.gov/mdot. |
MDOT to invest nearly $115 million in Northern Lower Michigan in 2008
March 4, 2008 -- The Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) recently approved 2008-12 Five Year Transportation Program will provide $114.6 million in transportation improvements to Northern Lower Michigan this year.
The 2008 North Region program for rehabilitation and reconstruction work will provide approximately $40 million in road and bridge investments to the region, $13 million for Capital Preventive Maintenance (CPM) projects, $32 million for routine maintenance, and $4 million for safety improvements such as passing relief lanes. As part of Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm's economic stimulus package, an additional $15 million will be invested in the region, which will fund five projects advanced from future years. Statewide, MDOT is accelerating nearly $150 million in road and bridge projects, which will create an estimated 2,100 jobs. About 213 of those jobs would be created in MDOT's North Region.
"Whether it is a CPM, maintenance, non-motorized path, or widening project, we will continue to improve our network in order to enhance the quality of life for everyone," said North Region Engineer Brian Ness. "Tourism is big in our region and that means we will do everything we can to make it as convenient as possible for motorists to get around this construction season."
During the 2008 construction season, highlights include:
• Widening, milling (or grinding off top layer) and resurfacing, and streetscaping 1.4 miles of M-113, GrandTraverse County
• Milling and resurfacing 7.3 miles of M-37 (Old Mission Peninsula) from Mapleton Road to the lighthouse, Grand Traverse County
• Resurfacing 5.5 miles of US-131 from US-131 BR to Boon Road, Wexford County
• Construction of 6.3 miles of non-motorized shoulders on US-31, Antrim County
• Rehabilitation of M-55 bridge deck over Hope Creek, Iosco County
• Resurfacing 11.8 miles of M-32 from US-31 Murner Road, Antrim and Otsego counties
• Widening 1 mile of M-33 from Popps Road to Cherry Creek Road, Oscoda County
• Widening, resurfacing, intersection work, safety and drainage improvements, and streetscaping 8.1 miles on M-55 from M-66 to east of 8 Mile Road in Lake City, Missaukee County
• Milling and resurfacing, plus safety and drainage improvements, on 3 miles of M-115 from 50th Avenue to 19 Mile Road, Osceola County
• Resurfacing 5.9 miles of M-72 from the Kalkaska County line to M-93, Crawford County
• Widening, reconstruction, resurfacing, and safety improvements on 1.5 miles of US-31 from Shaw Road to Graham Road, Emmet County
• Reconstruction of 1.9 miles of US-23 from 11th Street to French Road (with a detour during Phase I), Alpena County
• Resurfacing 5.3 miles of US-23 from Black River Road to Sayers Road, and from Lake Shore Drive to Everett Road, Alcona County
MDOT's North Region serves 24 counties in Northern Lower Michigan, including:
Alcona, Alpena, Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Iosco, Kalkaska, Lake, Leelanau, Manistee, Mason, Missaukee, Montmorency, Ogemaw, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Presque Isle, Roscommon, and Wexford counties. The North Region includes 12 commercial ports, 22 recreational harbors, 14 rest areas, 21 roadside parks, 22 carpool lots, 670 miles of rail, and 38 airports. Major state routes include: I-75, US-23, US-127, US-31, US-131, and thousands of miles of "M" routes owned and operated by MDOT.
For a complete copy of the 2008-12 Five Year Transportation Program, visit MDOT's Web site at: www.michigan.gov/mdot5yearplan. |