UPDATE: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - New Weight Restrictions are in effect on the Marsh Road Bridge due to deterioration.

By just driving over it, you can't see that this particular bridge is in need of repair.

Bill Conklin, the Managing Director for the Ingham County Road Commission, said "We're seeing deterioration of the beam ends underneath the expansion joints, which are the metal places in the deck where the bridge is allowed to expand and contract with temperature changes."

The rust and the corrosion on the bridge is what lead the Ingham County Road Commission to reduce the weight restrictions.

Conklin said, "That's calculated by structural engineers as part of the bridge inspection process. They look at the reduced capacity of the beam in terms of it's cross section and they back calculate into the load that it's capable of carrying."

Because of this bridge's deterioration, the Ingham County Road Commission had decided on new weight restrictions in order to preserve this structure over these railroad tracks.

"It is a very active line. It runs between Port Huron and Chicago. It is a very active and important line for trade between the US and Canada, and any bridge project that would occur there would have to keep that railroad line in operation" said Conklin.

The Road Commission is currently looking for funds to upgrade this bridge and others like it throughout Ingham County.

Conklin said, "We have a lot of bridges around the county that are getting into deteriorated state and are awaiting federal funding to be replaced and we're per suing those as funding is awarded."

If funding is awarded, repairs could begin in the year 2015.

Until the bridge is repaired, drivers can take the alternate route by going west on Central Park Boulevard, North on Okemos road to Haslett Road, and then continue up on Marsh Road.




ORIGINAL STORY: MERIDIAN TOWNSHIP - Have you noticed the new signs along the Marsh Road Bridge? Find out why the Ingham County Road Commission changed the weight restrictions on Meridian Magazine.