While repairs are complete on a Livingston County bridge, it won’t reopen for a couple of months.
The Mason Road bridge over the south branch of the Shiawassee River in Howell Township was the most recent bridge to be repaired as part of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) bridge bundling pilot project.
While bridge work finished last week, the road will not reopen to traffic immediately. According to a release by MDOT, the road and bridge will remain closed until around Oct. 1, so the Livingston County Road Commission (LCRC) can take advantage of the bridge closure to repair the Iosco Road bridge, scheduled to start Aug. 15.
MDOT says that delaying the reopening, at the county’s request, will reduce inconvenience for stakeholders by condensing the closures into one tighter timeframe.
Steve Wasylk, managing director of the LCRC, said Mason Road is a vital connector for numerous areas in the county. It also serves as an alternate route if I-96 is closed for any reason, making the condition of the bridge very important.
“Prior to construction, we had reduced loading on the bridge and numerous holes in the deck,” Wasylk said. “Having this bridge included in the Bridge Bundling Pilot was a tremendous benefit to be able fix the bridge with no impacts to our budget.”
While not as highly traveled as Mason Road, Wasylk said it’s another important connection.
All of the bridges encompassed by the bridge bundling program will be completed and reopened to traffic within 60 or 90 days from the start of repairs, with the exception of Mason Road.
