8 Mile Road Bridge Over US-23 To Be Repaired By Summer
WHITMORE LAKE (WWJ/AP) - A bridge over a major highway in southeastern Michigan that had to be torn down following a crash will be rebuilt starting this spring.
Part of the 8 Mile Road bridge over U.S. 23, near Whitmore Lake, was demolished by crews after a truck slammed into it March 10.
The bridge beams suffered significant damage after being struck by a tractor trailer hauling an oversized load, and it was determined that the bridge needed to be removed in order to be safely reopened to traffic. The demolition and clean-up was completed in one day and US-23 reopened within 24 hours.
The Michigan Department of Transportation said construction on a temporary bridge will start this spring and it should reopen this summer.
"MDOT will seek reimbursement from the trucking company for 100 percent of the cost of the bridge repairs," the department said in a statement.
During construction this spring, 8 Mile Road will remain closed and impacts on US-23 traffic will be kept to a minimum as lane closures will occur at non-peak times, such as overnight and weekends. More information about the work this spring will be available closer to the start of the project.
The state already had plans to replace the 8 Mile Road bridge before the crash. In 2017, MDOT plans to start another project that includes a new 8 Mile Road bridge just north of the existing one.
The bridge is on the border of Washtenaw County and Livingston County. U.S. 23 is a major route between Ann Arbor and I-96.
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