NEWS: 8 Mile Road bridge construction over US-23 to start Monday, May 2

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2016
CONTACT: Kari Arend, MDOT Office of Communications
517-206-1609, arendk@michigan.gov 

8 Mile Road bridge construction over US-23
to start Monday, May 2
 

Fast facts:
- In early March, the 8 Mile Road bridge over northbound US-23 was demolished due to damage suffered from an earlier crash.
- Starting next week, the 8 Mile Road bridge will be repaired and reopened to traffic by the July 4th holiday.
- MDOT will seek reimbursement from the trucking company for 100 percent of the cost of the bridge repairs.

April 28, 2016 -- The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has announced construction of the 8 Mile Road bridge over northbound US-23 is expected to start Monday, May 2. Construction on the bridge is expected to be complete, and the bridge reopened to traffic, by the July 4th holiday weekend.

            "On behalf of the Board of Trustees, Northfield Township is pleased MDOT will be constructing a temporary replacement of the 8 Mile Road bridge," said Howard Fink, Northfield Township manager. "The temporary bridge is necessary to ensure quick emergency response times and is critical to the local economy."

            During construction this spring, 8 Mile Road will remain closed and impacts on US-23 traffic will be kept to a minimum. There will be a shoulder closure on northbound US-23, with lane closures occurring at non-peak times, such as overnight and weekends.

            The bridge project is the result of an earlier crash in March when the structure was hit by a tractor trailer hauling an oversized load that caused significant damage to the bridge beams. The section over northbound US-23 was removed in order for the highway to be safely reopened to traffic. MDOT will seek reimbursement from the trucking company for 100 percent of the cost of the bridge repairs.

            "I'm pleased with the progress on this project," said state Sen. Joe Hune, R-Fowlerville. "This temporary bridge and the upcoming larger span will keep our community connected and allow for vital resources, such as public safety vehicles, to be able to get where they need in a timely manner."

            "I cannot thank MDOT enough for their work and dedication to help ensure this project gets moving quickly," said state Rep. Lana Theis, R-Brighton. "The temporary overpass is a great solution for the community to ensure emergency services and the tourism industry are impacted as little as possible."

            Crews will repair the existing 8 Mile Road span over northbound US-23 using an expedited contracting process. Then, in 2017, a larger road and bridge project will begin on US-23 in Washtenaw County that includes a new 8 Mile Road bridge and upgrades to the interchange. The new bridge will be built just to the north of the existing structure while traffic is maintained on the existing 8 Mile Road bridge. Once the new 8 Mile Road bridge is complete, the existing 8 Mile Road bridge will be removed.

            "I am a new business owner in Whitmore Lake," said David Neil, owner of the DirtSquirt Auto Spa. "Since the 8 Mile Road bridge closure, our car wash sales are down over 40 percent. We have had to cut back on expenses and employee hours to compensate for the lost business. We are optimistic the new bridge and enhanced exits will make up for our recent losses."

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