IONIA, Mich. — The Ionia County Road Commission has shut down the Maple River Bridge because of a rising river.
The Ionia County Sheriff’s Office says motorists should avoid that stretch of M-21 east of Muir until the water recedes.
The Sheriff’s Office says in a news release the water level had risen so high as of 7 p.m. that the river was pushing against the deck of the bridge. The road commission asked all eastbound Class-A traffic, which includes commercial trucks and buses, to travel south on M-66 in Ionia to eastbound I-96 over to Grange Road exit 84, then north on Grange Road back to M-21. All westbound M-21 traffic can follow Grange Road south to westbound I-96 northbound M-66 to M-21.
Police are encouraging regular vehicle traffic (private vehicles) to follow the same route, due to the “rapidly changing conditions.” The Sheriff’s Office says those conditions are causing flooding on secondary roads that is leading to short-notice road closures.
