M-28 weekend reopening remains on target

By RICHARD JENKINS

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Wakefield — Barring an unforeseen delay, the reopening of M-28 over Jackson Creek this weekend remains on track.

The road is scheduled to be reopened Saturday for the first time in roughly five months while the bridge over Jackson Creek was replaced.

While some paving and guardrail work remains, Michigan Department of Transportation spokesman Dan Weingarten said traffic should be able to use the bridge some time this weekend.

“Depending on the weather, the (Saturday) date might slip to Sunday, Oct. 28, if guardrail work is delayed,” Weingarten said.

M-28 has been closed east of Wakefield since the end of May due the project, forcing drivers to use U.S. 2 and either M-64 or M-45 to bypass the construction.

The $3.9 million project to replace the bridge with a larger structure has encountered a variety of delays — including weather and construction delays as well as a statewide labor dispute — pushing the project’s completion back several times from its original Sept. 8 completion date.

The original bridge was built in 1932, according to MDOT, and had reached the end of its service life.

The new structure will be five feet higher in elevation, 20 feet longer and 11 feet wider than the old bridge.

The new bridge is expected to have a lifespan of approximately 75 years with routine maintenance.