$15.5M in MDOT bridge work will begin in the coming weeks

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is gearing up to begin multiple bridge reconstruction projects on a state highway in the lakes area at some point soon, given the structures’ “structurally deficient” conditions.

Four-fifths of the overall costs will be provided by federal sources, with the remaining 20 percent covered by MDOT. Total project costs are estimated at $15.5 million.

The bridges that require repairs are located in the I-96 corridor between Milford Road and Kent Lake Road.

The first bridge project will consist of work on the bridge over the Huron Valley Trail east of Milford Road.

“Motorists will start to see activity between July 5 and mid-July. We have no firm date,” said MDOT Spokesperson Rob Morosi. “Initially there will be a crew out there, but they won’t be (closing) any lanes.

“At the onset, they will be doing traffic control devices, signage, trail work, and getting barges out over the river. All these must be set up before the public sees them,” Morosi said.

To mitigate the heavy stream of traffic in the area, MDOT will be investing dollars to divert motorists via a movable barrier wall to maintain three lanes for eastbound I-96 traffic during peak hours on weekdays from 5 to 9 a.m. From 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., the barrier wall will be moved for westbound I-96 traffic. During non-peak hours, traffic will be limited to two lanes.

During the project, the Huron River Trail will be closed between Pontiac Trail and I-96 to replace the bridge during 2011 and heading into 2012.

A second project planned in 2011 is the I-96 bridge over Kent Lake Road. Again, MDOT will be erecting a movable barrier. A closure will be in place from the entrance ramp to westbound I-96 from Kent Lake Road.

Once the barrier wall is erected, traffic will be detoured to Grand River and to Milford Road to get onto westbound I-96.

In conjunction, crews will be reconstructing the substructure of this bridge to repair its support mechanisms.

In 2012, MDOT will begin work on the driving surface over the Huron River Trail, Milford Road and Kent Lake Road.

The round of bridge reconstruction projects will commence in early or mid-July, stop for the winter road construction shutdown in early December, and resume in the spring.

All projects are expected to be completed at the end of November 2012.