By Staff
LANSING - Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) Thursday announced that the state will spend an additional $53 million to repair or rehabilitate 76 local bridges.
The projects span 39 Michigan counties, including Cass County's Chain Lake Street bridge over Christiann Creek and Dowagiac's Lowe Street bridge over Dowagiac Creek, and all seven MDOT regions from metro Detroit to the Upper Peninsula.
Projects are part of the Local Bridge Program (formally called the Critical Bridge Program), which is funded with state and federal funds and a 5-percent match by local communities.
Adding bridges with critical needs to this program fulfills the administration's long-standing commitment to increase investment in the preservation of local infrastructure.
"Repairing additional bridges will both improve public safety and strengthen local economies," Granholm said. "If we are to be successful in our fight to create and maintain good quality jobs in our communities, we must have safe, usable roads and bridges. This money will make a significant difference in that fight."
"The only group happier than CRAM and its membership to see the renamed Local Bridge Program list are probably the residents and businesses living or working on one side or another of a bridge that has been weight restricted or closed," said John D. Niemela, director of the County Road Association of Michigan (CRAM). "Spending transportation funding on local bridges is a quality of life issue and it is huge if county road commissions are going to make this better. This could not have happened without the cooperation of the administration, legislature, MDOT, and the Michigan Municipal League."
"Adding these projects to MDOT's local bridge program will enable MDOT to partner with local road agencies," said State Transportation Director Gloria J. Jeff. "We are pleased to bring projects that will deliver jobs and improve safety for residents, businesses and first responders."
Project funds come from the federal highway bridge replacement and rehabilitation program, the state's local bridge program and a 5 percent local agency match. Local governments that own the bridges must submit final design plans and documents to be considered for the funding, which is allocated each year on a first-come, first-served basis.
To be eligible, the structures must be in pressing need of repair or need a new design to meet motorists' needs. Applications are rated by a nine-member committee comprised of representatives of the 83 county road commissions, municipal street agencies and MDOT. In rating the applications, the committee considers the condition of the bridges, their importance to the street or road network, and the local agency's ability to finance its share of construction.
Local agencies have until June 1 each year to update conditions of bridges not on the approved list or to submit information about new bridges for consideration. Since the program began in 1973, it has helped to rehabilitate or repair approximately 24 percent of the more than 6,700 bridges on local roads and streets.