OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. — An Ottawa County bridge has reopened to traffic on Friday.
The Byron Road bridge is now open after being the fifth bridge to complete repairs this year under the Rebuilding MI Bridges program, according to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
"The reopening of the Byron Road bridge is something for drivers in Ottawa County to celebrate. Thanks to our hard work, we are moving dirt to fix roads and bridges across Michigan to keep drivers safe and save them time and money," says Governor Whitmer. “Since I took office through the end of 2022, we will fix over 16,000 lane miles of road and more than 1,200 bridges, supporting nearly 89,000 jobs. We’re fixing our infrastructure with the right mix and materials, so it stays fixed.”
The state says all bridges in the program reopen in under 90 days after repairs begin.
We’re told the Rebuilding MI Bridges initiative, operated in partnership with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), aims to fix 19 Michigan bridges that are in major disrepair. This involves the replacement of all bridge decks and support beams.
“Last year, I signed a bipartisan bill that will fix 59 additional bridges across the state and today I am proud that our efforts through the Rebuilding MI Bridges program continue to make progress, this time on the Byron Road bridge over the Black River,” Whitmer adds. “The projects we’re moving forward with will support more good-paying jobs and deliver on an issue that matters to us all—safe, reliable infrastructure. Let’s get it done."
The Michigan governor’s office says the project is funded by the Federal Highway Improvement Program.
Two more West Michigan bridges are scheduled to be repaired under the Rebuilding MI Bridges program. The bridge on Maple Island Road in Muskegon County is expected to begin repairs June 15, and St. Joseph County’s Nottawa Road bridge is scheduled to undergo repairs Aug. 15.
