LANSING — State Reps. Darrin Camilleri (D-Brownstown Township) and Stephanie Chang (D-Detroit) have sent a letter to Michigan Department of Transportation Director Kirk Steudle requesting information about the Fort Street (M-85) Bridge, a state trunkline. The piece of road spanning the Rouge River is one of the main thoroughfares between Detroit and Downriver communities with the closure of I-75. The bridge has closed abruptly at various times, sometimes with little warning and for various durations.
“With the closure of I-75 Southbound, Fort Street is a critical route for folks trying to get home or go to work Downriver,” Camilleri said. “The bridge’s frequent closures are only causing further disruption and inconvenience to drivers who are already dealing with detours and delays. I am committed to working with MDOT to improve the situation and to making sure that our residents can quickly and reliably get to where they need to go.”
The Fort Street Bridge was fully reconstructed from 2013 to 2016, which was one year longer than planned. Recent repairs to the bridge, along with a closure due to extreme cold, raised the lawmakers’ concerns about the structure. Camilleri and Chang are requesting a visit to the bridge with MDOT to learn about the design, maintenance needs and safety features of the bridge.
“We have a number of questions for the Michigan Department of Transportation based on what we have been hearing from our residents. I look forward to receiving thorough responses and working with MDOT to solve this issue,” Chang said. “It is a basic expectation that the bridges and roads we drive over every day are open to drive on and built to last.”