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Overnight closures of US-31 Charlevoix bascule bridge expected Tuesday and Wednesday
January 6, 2020 -- Work on the US-31 Charlevoix bascule bridge will require it to be in the open/up position from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on two consecutive nights, which are currently expected for this Tuesday and Wednesday night, Jan. 7 and 8.
Work on this Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) project started today and includes $1.1 million in investments to maintain the reliability of the bridge. The project includes structural steel repairs, replacement of the underwater cable providing power and control to both sides of the bridge, and replacement and upgrade of electrical components that control the bridge's various mechanical systems.
During most of the project, one lane will remain open in each direction. When the bridge is closed Tuesday and Wednesday night, traffic will be detoured on US-31, US-131, M-32, and M-66.
"We realize this lengthy detour is a significant inconvenience, which is why we've scheduled this work for this time of year and during the overnight hours to reduce the effect on drivers," said MDOT Gaylord Transportation Service Center (TSC) Construction Engineer Brad Swanson. "We've worked with the city and notified local emergency services so they can make adjustments for these two nights."
During installation of the underwater cable and limit switches, intermittent nighttime testing of the bridge will occur, resulting in closures to traffic of up to 15 minutes, currently anticipated to occur in February and March. The project is expected to be completed by March 31.