TRAVERSE CITY, Mich., Sept. 16, 2025 — Last week, state Rep. Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) met with Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Director Scott Bowen to continue discussions around plans to replace the pedestrian bridge over U.S. Highway 31 near the Keith J. Charters Traverse City State Park.
“I applaud Director Bowen and his team for their ongoing work toward updating this pedestrian walkway with an ADA-compliant replacement bridge, as well as staying in regular communication with me and my team on this issue,” Coffia said. “I commend the DNR for coming to the table to honor Director Bowen’s commitment to replacing the pedestrian bridge, a crucial piece of safety infrastructure in our community.”
The current pedestrian bridge, which is owned by the DNR, was built in the 1960s after a child was tragically killed crossing the highway. The DNR worked with the community at that time to wisely implement a safe bridge to prevent local residents and visitors alike from directly interacting with traffic along U.S. Highway 31, a busy highway where traffic has only increased as the community has grown.
The DNR is currently overseeing a renovation of the state park using $8.5 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. These plans previously included removing the pedestrian bridge entirely, without replacement, in favor of a crosswalk and traffic light. The current bridge is scheduled to be removed later this month on the advice of Michigan Department of Transportation due to its age, lack of compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and more recently, structural damage due to being struck by a vehicle. However, due to vocal opposition and safety concerns from community members, as well as intervention by Coffia, the DNR later committed to working together with the local community and state lawmakers to replace the old bridge with a new ADA-compliant bridge.
“At our most recent meeting, the DNR provided schematics to inform potential designs for a new ADA-compliant pedestrian bridge and is now working to identify a new location for the bridge as well as funding sources for the project,” Coffia continued. “There is more work to be done, but I am pleased to see that progress is being made. I look forward to continued discussions on this project with Director Bowen, along with my colleagues state Sen. John Damoose and state Rep. John Roth, both of whom have been vocal supporters of a new pedestrian bridge.”
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