GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- One of the busiest bridges that doesn't carry freeway traffic will be closing soon for repairs that will take until September.
The Leonard Street bridge in Grand Rapids sees an average of 20,000 vehicles a day. Beginning July 6 at 9 a.m., the Michigan Department of Transportation will close the bridge, which will send 20,000 drivers in search of a detour.
While drivers will likely find alternatives on their own, the Michigan Department of Transportion has these recommendations:
- Westbound Leonard: North on Monroe Avenue, west on Ann Street, south on Turner Avenue.
- Eastbound Leonard: North on Scribner Avenue, west on Richmond Street, north on Turner Avenue, east on Ann Street, south on Monroe Avenue.
A city repaving project will add to the inconvenience. Leonard Street will be resurfaced west of US-Q131 between Turner Avenue and Alpine Avenue.
While the surface of the Leonard Street bridge looks in good shape, the bridge needs "deck patching, approach reconstruction, substructure repairs, painting, so just a general rehab project," said MDOT spokesperson John Richard. "But this will extend the service life for 15, 25 years."
Construction crews have already been busy nearby, building a new lane on southbound US-131 from Ann Street to Leonard Street, a stretch of highway that typically sees more than 100,000 vehicles traverse the northbound and southbound lanes.
Up until now, southbound US-131 squeezed to one lane at the merge with traffic from eastbound I-96, which used two lanes. The same configuration will continue, but the lane closure will shift traffic to new pavement on the east side of the project. The Leonard Street off ramp will reopen.
More lane closures can be expected on southbound US-131 for concrete repairs between West River Drive and Pearl Street. Eventually, ramp from eastbound 196 to southbound 131 and the ramp from southbound 131 to Pearl Street will close.
And a ramp will close: The exit ramp to Market Avenue from southbound US-131 will be closed from July 5 to September 1 for reconstruction that will include the addition of a new turn lane.
Further, the Franklin Street bridge over US-131 will close on Tuesday, July 5, until September 1. The recommended detour is to use the Hall Street interchange.
