FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                MEDIA CONTACT
April 21, 2022                                                                                      Dan Weingarten
906-250-4809
[email protected]

Most MDOT roadside parks reopening April 28

LANSING, Mich. ­– Most of the roadside parks operated by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will reopen for the season Thursday, April 28.

MDOT maintains 85 roadside parks around the state. Some parks operate seasonally, usually closing in late October and reopening in the spring.

The following roadside parks will remain closed until later in the spring due to weather conditions. MDOT plans to reopen these parks in mid-May, weather permitting:

Alger County
– Deer Lake Roadside Park on M-28
– Kiva Roadside Park on US-41
– Scott Falls/Rathfoot Roadside Park on M-28
– Grand Island Harbor Scenic Turnout on M-28
– Au Train Roadside Park on M-28

Baraga County
– Tioga Creek Roadside Park on M-28
– Canyon Falls Roadside Park on US-41
– Baraga Cliff Roadside Park on US-41

Keweenaw County
– Esrey Roadside Park on M-26
– Hebard Roadside Park on M-26
– Great Sand Bay Roadside Park on M-26
– Snow Gauge Roadside Park on M-26

Luce County
– Old Flowing Well Roadside Park on M-28

Schoolcraft County
– Manistique River Roadside Park on M-77

While most parks are scheduled to be open April 28, motorists should not expect drinking water at all parks to be turned on until sometime later in May, after annual testing and treatment of the park water systems is completed.

In addition, the St. Ignace Rest Area on southbound I-75 will remain closed due to construction. It is expected to reopen in early May.

A map showing the status of MDOT roadside parks and a complete list of parks are available on the MDOT website.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                MEDIA CONTACT
April 6, 2022                                                                                        Dan Weingarten
906-250-4809
[email protected]

Bridge bundling projects move forward

Fast facts:
– The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will be executing Phase II of the local agency bridge bundling program, focusing on closed and load-posted bridges, some of which will be permanently removed and others replaced.
– The bridge bundling pilot project currently encompasses major improvements of 19 locally owned bridges in 2022. Five bridge projects have already started.
– MDOT expects the bridge bundling pilot project, which covers several projects under one contract, to streamline coordination and permitting, increase economies of scale, and improve bridge conditions on local routes.
– MDOT’s online dashboard at Michigan.gov/BridgeBundling allows the public to track progress on the projects.

LANSING, Mich. ­- $196 million in federal COVID relief funds appropriated by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Legislature will allow the state to execute Phase II of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) bridge bundling program, beginning later this year.

A list of the 59 candidate bridges, which were prioritized based on regional mobility and safety, is available here as part of MDOT’s bridge bundling program online dashboard. This phase focuses on closed and load-posted bridges. Some will be permanently removed while others will be fully replaced.

Major repairs on local bridges are already under way as this year’s MDOT bridge bundling pilot project moves forward. Five bridge bundling projects started in March. 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 projects currently range from 38 to 77 percent complete.

“We’re making good progress toward our goal of improving 19 local bridges throughout the state this year,” said State Transportation Director Paul C. Ajegba. “These projects should keep the bridges in service for another 50 years, continuing to connect communities, travelers and businesses. This pilot program will accelerate repairs, streamline construction, spark innovations, and create economies of scale, helping to rebuild Michigan’s infrastructure more efficiently.”

This year’s project, the first of its kind in Michigan, will repair 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 all the design and construction administration work for the bridge bundling program.

An online dashboard at Michigan.gov/BridgeBundling provides project updates and shows percent completion, detour routes, and other information for each of these projects. Clicking on the interactive map pulls up details on each project, including photos documenting the ongoing work.

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 other 14 bridges to be rebuilt this year, along with scheduled start dates and contracted length of the project, are listed here.

MDOT estimates $2 billion is required just to get all state-owned bridges up to good or fair condition, and another $1.5 billion to do the same for all local agency-owned bridges.

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A snapshot of the dashboard for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) bridge bundling pilot program shows progress on the Bentley Street bridge over Farmer’s Creek in Lapeer. The interactive website (Michigan.gov/BridgeBundling) tracks 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 five projects currently under way. $196 million in targeted COVID relief funds will allow 50 or more bridges to be rebuilt in Phase II of the program, beginning next year. (MDOT image) 

A photo from the new dashboard (Michigan.gov/BridgeBundling) for the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) bridge bundling pilot program shows work on the abutment for the Byron Road bridge over the Black River in Ottawa County. The interactive website allows stakeholders and the general public to access progress statistics and photos on local agency bridge projects that have been grouped together for more efficient work. (MDOT photo)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                     MEDIA CONTACT

April 5, 2022                                                                             Rob Morosi                                                                                                                                                               248-361-6288                                                                         [email protected]

Bridge demolition requires closing a portion of  

I-94 in Detroit this weekend  

Fast facts:

– MDOT is replacing the Grand River Avenue bridge over I-94 in Detroit.  

– Demolition of the Grand River overpass requires closing I-94 between I-96 and I-75 starting Friday night.

– Crews will keep the westbound I-94 ramp to I-96 closed until late May.  

DETROIT, Mich. ­- Weather permitting, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) contract crews will be removing the Grand River overpass above I-94 in Detroit this weekend. This work will require closing I-94 between I-75 and I-96 starting at 9 p.m. Friday, April 8. Both directions of I-94 are expected to reopen by 5 a.m. Monday, April 11.

Westbound I-94 traffic will be detoured via southbound I-75 and westbound I-96 back to westbound I-94. Eastbound I-94 traffic will be detoured via eastbound I-96 to northbound I-75 back to eastbound I-94. All entrance ramps to eastbound I-94 from 30th Street to M-10 (Lodge Freeway), and westbound I-94 from Mt. Elliott to Linwood streets, will be closed by 9 p.m. Friday and will reopen by 5 a.m. Monday.

Starting at 5 a.m. Monday, the following closures will remain in place until late May:

– The right lane of westbound I-94 from Linwood Street to I-96, and

– The westbound I-94 ramp to eastbound and westbound I-96.

Ramp traffic will be detoured using southbound I-75 to I-96. Detours will be posted for local traffic using Grand River Avenue over I-94.

The new overpass will replace the original structure built in 1952. All work on this $14.6 million investment is scheduled to be completed in early 2023.

Follow the I-94 modernization project on the web at https://I94Detroit.org or follow on Facebook at www.facebook.com/I94Detroit or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/I94Detroit.