US-31 Charlevoix bascule bridge overnight closure scheduled for Jan. 9

Fast facts:

• Currently, MDOT expects the US-31 Charlevoix bascule bridge to be closed one night, Jan. 9, from 7 p.m. - 7 a.m.
• During that closure, traffic will be detoured on US-31, M-66, M-32, and US-131.
• MDOT also expects 15-minute intermittent closures of the bridge between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. the nights of Jan. 2, 18 and 19.

GAYLORD, Mich. - As part of a $6.3 million Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) project to replace the US-31 Charlevoix bascule bridge’s tread and track components, which are critical to the bridge’s operation, the bridge will be closed to US-31 traffic overnight once in early January, and for 15-minute periods intermittently on three other nights.

Currently, MDOT expects the bridge will be closed one night, Jan. 9, from 7 p.m. - 7 a.m. During that closure, which is dependent on weather and work progress, traffic will be detoured on US-31, M-66, M-32, and US-131.

MDOT also expects 15-minute intermittent closures of the bridge between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. the nights of Jan. 2, 18 and 19. Exact dates of those closures are also dependent on weather and work progress, but no detour will be required for those intermittent closures.

Additional overnight closures are expected for the bridge between January and April, which will be announced in advance. The exact schedule of all expected closures has not yet been determined.

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At most times, the bridge will be open to two-way traffic. Beginning in January, traffic will be shifted to the west half of the bridge for approximately six weeks. In mid- to late-February, traffic will then be shifted to the east half of the bridge for another six weeks.

During this time, the bridge will be closed to marine traffic in the channel that would require the bridge to open. Work will require unscheduled intermittent closures to vehicle traffic of less than 10 minutes, a shorter duration than typical openings of the bridge for marine traffic.

From mid-April until the project is completed in late May 2024, the channel will reopen to marine traffic while remaining work is finished. The bridge will return to normal operation for vehicle and marine traffic.

The project, which began in late October, also includes work on the bridge railings, electrical components, joints, curbs, and gutters, all with a goal of extending the 74-year-old bridge’s service life and maintain its reliability.

Based on economic modeling, this investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 89 jobs.