The Michigan Department of Transportation is using a major bridge in Ann Arbor to highlight the need for more funding.
According to a video released by MDOT, the M-14 bridge over the Huron River is well beyond its service life. It was built in 1956.
A complete replacement would cost about $150 million. That’s about four times the budget for replacement and repairs for the district.
Associate Regional Engineer Sam Sorenson says it would also impact other needed repairs in the University region.
“If we’re doing that just on this one-spot location, we have eight other counties in our region that wouldn’t have money to deal with those projects.”
According to MDOT, about two-thirds of its bridges have far exceeded their original design lives, and more than 100 trunkline bridges could have to be closed to traffic by 2035.
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