Meeting slated for U.S. 31 bridge project in Michigan

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has scheduled an informational public meeting on Nov. 24 to discuss a upgrade project for the U.S. 31 bascule bridge in Charlevoix in northern Michigan.

The project, scheduled to start in late 2016, will involve painting the bridge's steel superstructure, repairing mechanical and electrical systems and performing other improvements to the bridge. The work is estimated be finished by June 2017.

Staff from MDOT’s Gaylord Transportation Service (TSC) will be at the meeting to explain the bridge project. TSC staff will be seeking suggestions and comments about the closures that will need to be scheduled during the night.

Work will be conducted on half of the bridge before crews move to the other half. This will allow one lane to remain open to traffic in each direction. All pedestrian traffic will be redirected to a route that is underneath the bridge.

The meeting will be at 5:30 p.m Nov. 24 at the Charlevoix Public Library, located at 220 West Clinton St in Charlevoix.