CASSOPOLIS — A decision Cass County Board of Commissioners made last June 16 to create a $100,000 bridge and culvert fund paid big dividends Thursday night.
Commissioners approved Road Commission Chief Engineer Joseph Bellina’s request to remove $55,000 for construction of the Sink Road bridge over Dowagiac River in Pokagon Township.
The span, built in 1963 and posted for loads not to exceed 21 tons, will be replaced with a $1,029,200 structure — leveraging funds at a 20:1 rate.
For the past two years, Cass County Road Commission worked in cooperation with the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Pokagon Township and Michigan Department of Natural Resources to design and fund the replacement and adjoining boat launch.

Design was accomplished with $72,000 acquired by the Pokagon Band through the BIA Indian Rural Roads Bridge Program, plus $18,000 from the Road Commission.

Funding participants for the $1,029,200 include: BIA Indian Rural Roads Program, $185,736; BIA High Priority Project Fund, $749,000; Pokagon Township, $5,000; and DNR, $41,092.