GROSSE ILE TOWNSHIP, Mich. – The Grosse Ile Parkway Bridge, officially called the Wayne County Bridge, over the Trenton Channel is scheduled to close on or after May 1 for repairs.
Once it is closed, the bridge may not reopen until October 2020, according to Grosse Ile Township officials.
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Back in November, the “free bridge," as it is commonly called, was forced to shut down for emergency repairs. According to the Wayne County Department of Public Services, about 10 steel plates were being installed to support beams that were identified for repairs. Those plates needed to be installed before they reopened the bridge.
At the time, the county said the Grosse Ile Parkway Bridge will have to undergo extensive rehabilitation work during the 2020 construction season. Construction will be completed in phases, requiring an extended closure:
- Phase I (foundation improvements): The work that was originally planned as phase 1 will include foundation rehabilitation, which entails reinforcing the existing foundation, most of which is underwater. This work will require highly specialized expertise and equipment. The design is expected to be completed in summer 2020.
- Phase II (superstructure improvements): The work will entail removing and replacing deteriorated structural members. The design for Phase II has been completed and rehabilitation work is being bid out. Work is expected to take place throughout the entire 2020 construction season.
The Grosse Ile Toll Bridge remains open at the north end of the island.