On July 3, 2007, following a routine biennial bridge inspection, the Road Commission closed the Seven Mile Road Short-Span Bridge in Salem Township, and the Harris Road Short-Span Bridge in Superior Township.
Throughout the first week of July, hired consultant, Scott Civil Engineering, located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, continued to inspect several other Washtenaw County bridges, the result of which revealed severe deterioration and structural failure of three (3) additional local road bridges. Consequently, the bridge inspector has recommended that the Road Commission immediately CLOSE these additional short-span bridges for the safety of the motoring public:
- Bethel Church Road Short-Span Bridge over the Bauer Drain, in Sections 30 and 31 of Lodi Township. This short-span bridge is located between Alber Road and Parker Road. This closure is being imposed immediately, Friday, July 6, 2007, due to the severe deterioration and failure of the superstructure (mudmats, deck, and beams). The DETOUR ROUTE designated by the Road Commission for the Bethel Church Road Bridge closure is Parker Road to Saline Waterworks Road to Alber Road.
- Liberty Road Short-Span Bridge over Haas Drain, in Sections 26 and 35 of Lima Township. This short-span bridge is located between Steinbach Road and Dancer Road. This closure is being imposed effective Tuesday, July 10, 2007, due to the severe deterioration and failure of the abutments (foundations). The DETOUR ROUTE designated by the Road Commission for the Liberty Road Bridge closure is Dancer Road to Jerusalem Road to Steinbach Road.
- Waters Road Short-Span Bridge over Haas Drain, in Sections 1 and 12 of Freedom Township. This short-span bridge is located between Parker Road and Haab Road. This closure is being imposed effective Tuesday, July 10, 2007, due to the severe deterioration and failure of the beams. The DETOUR ROUTE designated by the Road Commission for the Waters Road Bridge closure is Haab Road to Ellsworth Road to Parker Road.
Maintenance and replacement of short-span bridges and culverts are the sole responsibility of the local agency and must be 100% funded through local sources. However, these three bridges are not being considered for replacement at this time due to current Road Commission funding constraints.
With the closing of these three additional structures, there are a total of 10 closed bridges in Washtenaw County.
- Bethel Church Road Short-Span Bridge over Bauer Drain in Lodi Township (Closed, effective July 6, 2007) (View photo gallery)
- Liberty Road Short-Span Bridge over Haas Drain in Lima Township (Closed, effective July 10, 2007) (View photo gallery)
- Waters Road Short-Span Bridge over Haas Drain in Freedom Township (Closed, effective July 6, 2007) (View photo gallery)
- Seven Mile Road Short-Span Bridge over the Johnson Creek Tributary in Salem Township (Closed July 3, 2007)
- Harris Road Short-Span Bridge over Fowler Creek in Superior Township (Closed July 3, 2007)
- Parker Road Bridge over Mill Creek in Scio and Lima Townships (Closed in April 2006; currently under construction for replacement)
- East Delhi Road Bridge over the Huron River in Scio Township (Closed in June 2005; slated for rehabilitation in 2008)
- Schleweis Road Short-Span Bridge over Iron Creek in Manchester Township (Removed from the road system in the early to mid-1990s)
- Bell Road Bridge over the Huron River in Section 12 of Dexter Township (Removed from the road system in 1998)
- Klinger Road Bridge over Mill Creek in Lima Township (Closed in 2005)
The Washtenaw County Road Commission thanks you in advance for your patience as the agency determines the best course of action to address these bridge closures.
Contact
If you have any questions regarding these bridge closures, please contact Kelly Jones, P.E. at (734) 327-6647 between 7:00 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. If you require assistance with media information, please contact Val Cooper, Public Information Officer, at (734) 327-6675 or via email at:cooperv@wcroads.org.
Frequently asked questions about these bridge closures:
Outside of this inspection, when were these three bridges last inspected?
Bethel Church Road Short-Span Bridge
In 1990, mudmats were placed on the structure as a temporary repair and as a result, it was posted at 20 tons.
In 2000, after the inspection, the Bethel Church Road Bridge was reduced from 20 tons to 10 tons.
In 2005, after the inspection, the structure maintained a posting of 10 tons.
In 2007, after the inspection, the structure was closed due to the failure of the superstructure (mudmats, deck and beams). (View photo gallery)
Liberty Road Short-Span Bridge
In the mid 1990s, the structure was inspected due to a failure in the deck. After the inspection the posting was reduced from "no posting" to 3 tons.
In 2000, after the inspection, the structure was reduced from 20 tons to 10 tons.
In 2005, after the inspection, the structure maintained a posting of 10 tons.
In 2007, after the inspection, the structure was closed due to the failure of the abutments (foundation).
Waters Road Short-Span Bridge
In 1999, after the inspection, the structure maintained a "no posting" status. In 2005, after the inspection, the Waters Road Bridge was reduced from "no posting" to 10 tons. In 2007, after the inspection, the structure was closed due to the failure of the beams. (View photo gallery)
What is the difference between a bridge and a culvert?
A structure is considered to be a "bridge" when it is longer than 20 feet. Bridges are eligible to receive funding (approximately 95%) through the Local Bridge Program, which is allocated by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). Any structure shorter than 20 feet is considered to be a "short-span bridge" or a "culvert." The difference between these two structures is simple; a short-span bridge has abutments, beams and a deck, whereas, a culvert is a pipe or concrete box with earth placed on top of it. These three bridges are considered
to be a "short-span bridges."
Where will the funding come from to replace these Short-Span Bridges?
Maintenance and replacement of short-span bridges and culverts are the sole responsibility of the local agency and must be 100% funded through local sources.
What would be the estimated cost to replace these three bridges?
Unknown at this time.
How many vehicles per day cross over each of these bridges?
A count has never been taken at these locations since they are local gravel roads; however, the Road Commission estimates that each would have less than 150 vehicles per day.
What would be the timeframe to replace each bridge if local funding were made available?
It is unknown at this time. Due to the length of each structure, they would like require replacement with an actual "bridge" instead of simply replacing the current structures with culverts. (Waters Road Bridge = 15 feet; Liberty Road Bridge = 18 feet; and Bethel Church Road Bridge = 10 feet).
There is a possibility that the Bethel Church Road Bridge may be replaced with a culvert, but a hydraulic analysis will have to be completed to verify if this is feasible. However, at this time, the Road Commission is not planning to explore replacement options for these structures due to current funding constraints.
When was the last time these bridges received any major repairs and/or were replaced?
The Road Commission records indicate that these three bridges have never been replaced. The Liberty Road and Bethel Church Road structures recieved mudmats in 1990. In addition, at some unknown date, foundation work was performed on the Bethel Church Road Bridge to prevent the abutments (foundations) from sliding into the river. It is estimated that all three of these structures were originally constructed in the 1950s.