Bridge work to occur on South River Road

HARRISON TOWNSHIP — According to a press release sent by the Macomb County Department of Roads, bridge replacement work is planned for South River Road in Harrison Township, over the channel to Lake St. Clair.

“The project includes removal of the existing structure and replacement with concrete beams, full depth road construction, guardrail, and restoration work,” the Harrison Township website says.

The release states approximately 89% of the 225 bridges within the department’s jurisdiction are rated in fair or better condition, while 11% are rated poor or critical.

Harrison Township Supervisor Kenneth Verkest said the bridge as it stands is structurally compromised and in poor condition. The bridge itself was down to one lane before construction, and Verkest said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer previously held a press conference at the bridge highlighting “the condition of crumbling infrastructure in Michigan.”

Verkest said the first phase was to complete a temporary span to the south of the bridge.

“Then there’ll be some demolition of the existing bridge,” he said. “I know that from past projects the abutments or the structures that are (on) either shore of the canal there usually take quite a bit to remove those.”

He went on to say that the passageway is very narrow, and they had to get a right of way.

“We’re relocating some water and sewer services in that area to get further away from the bridge,” Verkest said.

Once all that is done, a new bridge will be constructed. The estimated completion time is August 2025.

The bridge, Verkest said, is an asset of the department, and he knows they also applied for federal funding to complete the project. Conversations about the project started around three years ago.

Verkest said patience is needed during the construction period, and he acknowledges that those who live in that area have to have a lot of patience.

“Just patience and just know that when it’s done, we’re going to have a nice new bridge that should probably outlast all of us alive today, and (residents) shouldn’t have to go through this headache for a long time,” Verkest said.

According to the release, since 2019 the department completed 38 bridge projects, which represents “more than $38.7 million in local, state and federal bridge infrastructure investment.”

“The Department of Roads has systematically improved the condition of Macomb County’s bridges by utilizing available transportation funds and securing additional state and federal funding resources,” Macomb County Executive Mark Hackel said in the release. “The Department of Roads has strategic programs in place that maximize the funding the agency receives and allocates resources based on data, conditions and community needs. There isn’t a bridge we can’t fix if we have adequate funding.”

A full list of projects can be found at macombgov.org/roads.