County closes 3 ‘unsafe’ bridges on Hines Drive
Gates block the entrance to Hines Drive at Wilcox Road in Plymouth
Apr 13, 2018 PLYMOUTH EAGLE.
Plymouth Michigan News
Don Howard
Staff Writer
Wayne County Parks abruptly closed three Hines Parkway bridges Monday citing safety concerns.
A spokesman for the county said that serious shear cracks in the concrete members that support the middle concrete slab on the three bridges render them unsafe for pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Two of the bridges span the Rouge River. The first is located just west of Haggerty road and the second is further west on Haggerty just past Woods Drive. A third bridge is located west of I- 275 where the park drive underpasses the freeway. The bridges, built in 1932, are identical and should be completely replaced according to Wayne Country Deputy Director of Roads Mike Gorman. Gorman said the bridges are past their design life.
Hines Drive has 232 bridges that undergo constant rotational inspection in alternate years, Gorman said. Until the inspection process is complete in about a week they will not know the total extent of the required repairs, he added. If the county budget permits simultaneous construction, repairs would take about a year from the commencement date, he added. The bridges will remain closed until that work can be complete.
Gorman said county officials are concerned for the most affected users who will be the pedestrians and bikers who regularly travel Hines Drive. Gorman said he feels motorists will be able to resolve the closing with alternate paths.
Plymouth Township Fire Chief Dan Phillips says the road closure of Hines Drive for the bridge repairs will likely have little effect on the township fire department and public safety now that Northville Township firefighters are sharing the Lake Pointe Fire Station. Protocol for fire department vehicles stipulate they not use Haggerty Road when responding to Lake Pointe area calls from the Haggerty-Ann Arbor Road station because of potential train delays on Haggerty south of Plymouth Road.
“It all has to do with budget,” Gorman said regarding any time-frame for repairs.
Plymouth Voice.
