DETROIT – More than 100 state trunkline bridges in Michigan are at risk of closure within the next 10 years due to aging infrastructure and insufficient funding.
According to the Michigan Department of Transportation, nearly 2 million drivers across the state -- mostly in Metro Detroit -- would be affected by these closures.
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One of the bridges at risk is the westbound I-96 bridge over M-39, the Southfield Freeway, which carries about 45,000 vehicles daily. In Metro Detroit alone, MDOT estimates 180 bridges are in poor condition, with 37 at risk of closure.
Bridge replacements typically require two years for design and up to two more years for reconstruction, during which the bridge remains closed. Despite the high initial costs, these projects provide long-term benefits, offering an 80 to 100-year service life.
Rebecca Curtis, MDOT’s director of the Bureau of Bridges and Structures, said many of these bridges were built in the 1950s with an expected service life of 50 to 60 years, leading to synchronized aging and deterioration. Nearly 1,000 of the 1,400 bridges in Metro Detroit are reaching or have surpassed 50 years of age.
MDOT faces a critical need for a comprehensive road funding package. Its annual reconstruction budget will drop from $495 million to $222 million after the Rebuilding Michigan program ends. This funding cut will also lead to the loss of approximately 2,800 construction jobs by 2026.
With the program concluding, MDOT warns Michigan’s infrastructure will be in critical condition within 10 years.