Charlevoix bridge open after bomb threat

Elizaeth Rewer and Michael Livingston Michael.Livingston@interlochen.Org, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·1 min read

Aug. 11—CHARLEVOIX — Michigan State Police confirmed a bomb threat called in near the downtown drawbridge.

At approximately 3:30 p.m. on Thursday the Charlevoix County Sheriff's Office posted on social media asking all businesses and residents within a two-block radius of the downtown draw bridge to evacuate.

While that portion of US-31 was shut down, MSP officers directed traffic toward East Jordan or the Ironton Ferry in Lake Charlevoix.

As of 5 p.m. the bridge was back open for traffic after a K-9 team cleared the area.

According to Central Dispatch in the area, the bridge was closed because of a severe incident.

The bridge is located over the Pine River Channel that connects lake Michigan to Round Lake.

Lieutenant Derrick Carroll from the Michigan State Police outpost in Gaylord said officers assisted the Charlevoix City Police Department with the threat and called in MSP K-9 teams.

MSP closed that portion of US-31 Highway through downtown Charlevoix.

The Charlevoix City Police Department was unable to be reached for comment.

The bridge is required to open twice an hour between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. all year long, according to the federal registrar.

Construction of the Charlevoix bridge started 1947 and construction ended in 1949.