Sand Creek Highway bridge to reopen by Nov. 1

Mary Lowe, The Daily Telegram
·2 min read
Work began last week on the Sand Creek Highway bridge in Madison Township, pictured Aug. 2, 2022. The $1.2 million cost is being funded by the state through a pilot program.
Work began last week on the Sand Creek Highway bridge in Madison Township, pictured Aug. 2, 2022. The $1.2 million cost is being funded by the state through a pilot program.

MADISON TWP. — The $1.2 million Sand Creek Highway bridge project started last week.

The project is set to be complete in 90 days so it should be done by the end of October or Nov. 1 at the latest, according to Lenawee County Road Commission managing director Scott Merillat.

The beams and the road deck are being removed, and some "minor" repairs will be made to the bridge's substructure, Merillat said. Then new beams will be placed along with a new deck and guardrail. Some work on the road approaches to the bridge will be done, too.

“As far as bridges go, 90 days is pretty quick," he said.

The Sand Creek Highway bridge is one of 19 being funded by a statewide bridge bundling project, Merillat said.

"This summer, we have completed seven bridge projects, with five more starting this month," Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a news release. "We are setting up orange barrels at record pace as we make the largest investment in state roads and bridges in Michigan's history."

Merillat said the program was supposed to start last year and go into next summer. Nothing was done on the bridges last year. All 19 are set to be complete this year.

When the bridge work was announced in the spring, MDOT officials said they expect 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.

Earlier coverage: Work to replace long-closed Sand Creek Highway bridge scheduled

The Sand Creek Highway bridge, which crosses the South Branch of the River Raisin near Livesay Road, is the only bridge Lenawee County has in the program.

The bridge has been closed for five years while Madison Township and the road commission lined up funding. The bridge is 100% funded through the state program.

Madison Township Supervisor Gary Greiwahn said the community is looking forward to having the bridge open.

“It’s been a long time for our residents in the Sand Creek area — school bus drivers, police, fire and emergency vehicles — to have to go around the bridge closure. I will be glad to have it reopen soon,” Greiwahn said.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Sand Creek Highway bridge project begins