Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
M-28 IS down to one lane at the bridge over Jackson Creek east of Wakefield Thursday to allow workers to repair damage to the western bridge approach. The highway was closed for roughly five months last year after the project to replace the bridge faced several delays. The late finish meant the pavement of the approach was put in after the ground was saturated, leading to the damage now being repaired.
By RICHARD JENKINS
Wakefield - Work has once again begun at the M-28 bridge over Jackson Creek - only this time drivers should be able to continue using the highway during the construction.
The delays in replacing the bridge east of Wakefield that kept M-28 closed for longer than expected last year continue to cause problems as the highway was reduced to one lane Thursday to allow for additional work on a bridge approach.
Michigan Department of Transportation spokesman Dan Weingarten said some of the pavement on the bridge's west approach needed to be repaired after it deteriorated over the winter.
"There were problems with the pavement because it had to be put on late in the season, when the ground was already saturated," Weingarten said. "It wasn't ideal conditions for paving, so that has led to some deterioration this spring."
M-28 was completely closed starting in May last year while the old bridge was being replaced with a newer structure, forcing drivers to use U.S. 2 and either M-64 or M-45 as a detour for the roughly five months of construction.
The replacement project had originally been planned to be complete by early September, however, it experienced several problems - including weather and construction delays, as well as a state-wide labor dispute. The bridge re-opened to traffic in late October.
It's too early to determine how long the new repairs will take, Weingarten said, as MDOT was continuing to evaluating repair options.
Temporary traffic lights were in place Thursday to allow drivers to continue to use a single lane of the highway while work is being completed on the other.
