Whitmer Announces First Bridge in Bundling Pilot Project Repaired and Reopened to Traffic in Lapeer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 3, 2022
Contact: Press@michigan.gov                                                                    

Gov. Whitmer Announces First Bridge in Bundling Pilot Project Repaired and Reopened to Traffic in Lapeer

LANSING, Mich. ­– Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the Bentley Street bridge over Farmers Creek in Lapeer is the first bridge to be repaired and reopened under the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) bridge bundling pilot project. The bridge bundling program, which covers several bridge locations under one contract, streamlines coordination and permitting, increases economies of scale, and improves bridge conditions on local routes around the state.

"Major repairs are ongoing on bridges across Michigan as we are continuing to fix the damn roads to keep drivers safe and save them time and money," said Governor Whitmer. Since I took office through the end of 2022, we will fix over 16,000 lane miles of road and more than 1,200 bridges, supporting nearly 89,000 jobs. We’re fixing our roads and bridges with the right mix and material, so they stay fixed. Last year, I signed a bipartisan bill that will fix 59 additional bridges across the state and today, I am proud that our bridge repair program continues to build on our progress. The projects we’re moving forward with will support even more good-paying jobs and keep families safe on our roads. Both my Rebuilding Michigan Plan and the bipartisan Building Michigan Together Plan I signed recently are helping us deliver on an issue that matters to us all—safe, reliable infrastructure. Let’s get it done."

"We're very happy with the bridge," said Jeff Graham, Lapeer's director of public works. "I drove across it every day before it was closed for repairs, and it looks great now compared to what it did before."

Graham said the project moved along quickly once it started and the contractors met their timelines efficiently. Overall, he’s enthusiastic about the program going forward.

"MDOT was great to work with. We would love to have the opportunity to have more bridges done and participate in future programs," Graham said.

Major repairs on several other local agency bridges continue this month as the pilot project moves forward. Six bridge bundling projects started in March and April. All of the bridges encompassed by the program will be completed and reopened to traffic within 60 or 90 days from the start of repairs. The five ongoing projects currently range from 14 to 82 percent complete.

Repairs on the Mason Road bridge over the south branch of the Shiawassee River in Livingston County are scheduled to begin May 31.

This year's bridge bundling pilot project, the first of its kind in Michigan, is repairing 19 bridges in serious or critical condition that are owned by local agencies. Each bridge will have its superstructure replaced, which includes full removal and replacement of the bridge deck and supporting beams.

The pilot project is funded by Federal Highway Improvement Program (HIP) dollars. MDOT bridge staff and consultants are doing preliminary design and construction administration work for the bridge bundling program.

The program’s online dashboard at Michigan.gov/BridgeBundling provides project updates and shows percent completion, detour routes, and other information for each of these projects.

$196 million in federal COVID relief funds appropriated by Governor Whitmer and the Legislature will allow the state to execute Phase II of the bridge bundling program, beginning later this year, to address 59 more bridges.

A list of the Phase II bridges, which were prioritized based on regional mobility and safety, is available here. Phase II focuses on closed and load-posted bridges. Some will be permanently removed while others will be fully replaced.

MDOT expects bridge bundling, which covers several bridge locations under one contract, to streamline coordination and permitting, increase economies of scale, and improve bridge conditions on local routes around the state. MDOT is working to expand the approach, already in use on state trunkline projects, to address locally owned bridges.

The remaining 12 bridges to be rebuilt this year under the pilot project, along with scheduled start dates and contracted length of the project, are:

Clinton County: Tallman Road (June 1, 90 days)
Macomb County: 26 Mile Road (July 25, 90 days)
Eaton County: Five Point Highway (June 15, 60 days)
Hillsdale County: Squawfield Road (June 15, 60 days)
St. Clair County: Palms Road (June 8, 90 days) 
Ingham County: Linn Road (June 20, 60 days), Dennis Road (July 5, 60 days)
Lenawee County: Sand Creek Highway (Aug. 1, 90 days)
Livingston County: Iosco Road (Aug. 15, 60 days) 
Luce County: Dollarville Road (Aug. 1, 60 days) 
Muskegon County: Maple Island Road (June 15, 60 days)
St. Joseph County: Nottawa Road (August 15, 90 days)

The Bentley Street bridge in Lapeer opened to traffic April 29. The bridge is the first structure repaired under the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) bridge bundling pilot program. Nineteen locally owned bridge repair jobs are included in the pilot program this year. (Photo by OHM Engineers)

Repairs on the Mason Road bridge over the south branch of the Shiawassee River in Livingston County are scheduled to begin May 31, part of the MDOT bridge bundling pilot program. (Photo by Tyme Engineering)

A snapshot of the new dashboard for the MDOT bridge bundling pilot program shows the completion of work on the Bentley Street bridge in Lapeer. The interactive website (Michigan.gov/BridgeBundling) allows stakeholders and the general public to track progress on local agency bridge projects that have been grouped together for more efficient work. Nineteen locally owned bridge repair jobs are included in the pilot program, with one project completed and five others under way. (MDOT image)

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