Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
WORK CONTINUES on replacing the M-28 bridge over Jackson Creek, east of Wakefield, Thursday. While the project has seen delays, state officials said they were unrelated to a statewide labor dispute that ended this week, allowing work on more than 150 projects around Michigan to resume.
WAKEFIELD - Construction crews on the M-28 Jackson Creek Bridge project east of Wakefield are still working, but very slowly, a Michigan Department of Transportation spokesperson said Tuesday.
MDOT spokesperson Dan Weingarten said Anlaan Corp., the contractor on the project, is continuing to work on the bridge.
He told the Daily Globe Thursday while the project has faced delays, they are unrelated to a statewide labor impasse that ended that day.
That dispute between road contractors and a union of heavy equipment operators disrupted more than 150 projects around Michigan - including major work on Interstates 75 and 696 in the Detroit area.
Regarding the projects impacted by the labor dispute, Weingarten said the state would be evaluated to see what can be finished this year.
"Our goal is going to be to finish any projects that we possibly can finish this construction season, and we'll take all measures to ensure safe work zones on any projects that have to be suspended through the winter," Weingarten said.
The $3.9 million bridge replacement project was delayed after the rain and flooding earlier this summer, according to Weingarten, and the bridge abutments took longer than expected to build.
The project is replacing the previous bridge, which was built in 1932, with a larger structure.
The new bridge will be five feet higher, 20 feet longer and 11 feet wider than the previous structure, Weingarten said in August.
The last confirmed date for the project's completion was Oct. 12.
A detour around the bridge work sends motorists on M-64 along the west side of Lake Gogebic and U.S. 2.
Editor's note: The Associated Press contributed to this story.
