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M-13/M-84 (Lafayette Street) Bridge Replacement - Bay County

About this project

MDOT will demolish and replace the M-13/M-84 (Lafayette Street) bascule bridge in Bay City, Bay County. Work will begin in December 2024 and continue through summer 2027. This approximately $112 million investment will include demolishing the aging structure and building a new bridge. The new bridge will be a safe and reliable crossing over the Saginaw River that will include a new 8-foot-wide shared-use path.

Project details

December 2024 - Summer 2027
Anticipated milestones

Bay City
Bay County

$112 million

Increased safety
Increased reliability 

Project information

    • The bridge will be closed to traffic and detoured.
    • Traffic will be detoured via M-13 and Wenona/Henry Street west of the Saginaw River to M-25 (Veterans Memorial Bridge) and M-84 east of the river. Drivers may also opt to detour via M-13 and I-75 over the Zilwaukee Bridge to the south of Bay City.
    • The Middleground Island will remain accessible from Salzburg Avenue on the west side of the river. The non-bascule portion of the bridge will remain open during this project.
  • In preparation for the work on the bridge, MDOT will be improving several roadways along the detour route, including resurfacing Wenona/Henry Street.

    A two-month window is planned for the work on Wenona/Henry Street detour prior to work beginning on the bridge.

  • The M-13/M-84 corridor bridge over the Saginaw River, otherwise referred to as the Lafayette Street Bridge, is in need of a full replacement. Originally constructed in 1938 (and rehabilitated in 1989) the bridge was programmed for replacement in 2020. The bridge replacement was postponed indefinitely when construction costs far exceeded original replacement estimates. MDOT began analyzing the potential of adjusting the footprint of the bridge or resorting to heavy bridge rehabilitation instead of the full replacement that was needed. In 2023 MDOT was awarded a $73 million federal grant, making the full bridge replacement a reality.

Project map

Additional information

This $112 million investment is being funded with $90 million of federal funding, $20 million of state funding, and $2 million from local sources. Approximately $73 million is being funded with a Bridge Investment Program (BIP) grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.