MDOT establishes US-31/Bascule Bridge emergency detour routes

Contact: Benjamin Kohrman 517-335-3084

Agency: Transportation

August 19, 2005 - - The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has created an emergency detour route for motorists on US-31 at the Bascule Bridge in Grand Haven. In the event that the Bascule Bridge is ever unavailable to motorists, MDOT has installed permanent signing to guide motorists around the bridge to the next available crossing, located in Eastmanville, over the Grand River.

"In the event of a crisis, we set up this emergency detour route to guide motorists to an alternative crossing over the Grand River," said Tim Judge, manager of MDOT's Transportation Service Center in Muskegon. "This route would only be used in emergency situations and worst-case scenarios impacting the entire bridge structure."

The project included installation of permanent signing along approximately 35 miles of emergency detour route. The emergency detour route is as follows: Northbound US-31 traffic would be detoured to eastbound M-45, to northbound 68th Street, to westbound I-96, and back to US-31, southeast of Muskegon. Southbound US-31 traffic would be detoured to eastbound I-96, southbound 68th Street, westbound M-45, and back to US-31, south of Grand Haven.

This project continues a commitment by MDOT and the Granholm administration to create jobs, improve quality of life, and provide the highest quality transportation services for Michigan residents and businesses.

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