With the recent incident at the Spruce Street Bridge, Michigan’s Department of Transportation (MDOT) has created a database of bridge conditions in Michigan, including an interactive map, to hopefully avoid future incidents. The interactive map is relatively user friendly, but we thought it might be a good idea to break all the data down for you so you know exactly which pedestrian bridges you might want to avoid.
There are a total of 164 pedestrian bridges in the state of Michigan. Of the 164 bridges, 123 of them are in Metro Detroit. The National Bridge Inventory has a breakdown of condition ratings 0-9 to score how individual bridges are holding up. A score of 7-9 is considered good condition, these bridges only require routine maintenance. If a bridge is determined to have a score of 5-6, it is considered to be in fair condition. Bridges in fair condition require preventative maintenance or minor rehabilitation. Lucky for us, Michigan has no pedestrian bridges in the 0-2 range, which would require the bridge to have major rehabilitation or replacement and the bridge would have to be closed.
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There are 21 bridges in the whole state that fall into the 3-4 range and 15 of them are in Metro Detroit. A bridge that scores a 4 is considered poor. This bridge is going to require major rehabilitation or replacement. A bridge that scores a 2 is considered serious or critical. A bridge with a score of 3 requires emergency repair or high priority major rehabilitation or replacement. Unless a bridge with a score or 3 is closely monitored, it may be necessary to close said bridge until corrective action can be taken.
The locations of the 15 bridges with a score of 3 or 4
There are only 15 bridges in Metro Detroit with a score of 3 or 4. All 15 of these bridges were built between 1953 and 1976. None of them have been refurbished.
The only bridge outside of Wayne county is Bridge #7821 - a bike path that goes over the Clinton River near the intersection Highland Rd and Crescent Lake Rd in Oakland County.
The other 14 bridges are all in Wayne county and here are their locations:
- Bridge #11703: Vassar Ave Walkover - M-39 - Goes over Southfield freeway at Vassar Ave - Just North of 7 mile
- Bridge #11372: Charest Ave Walkover - M-8 - Goes over Davison Fwy W at Charest St - East of Joseph Campau St
- Bridge #11205: Seminole Ave Walkover - I-94 - Goes over Edsel Ford Fwy - Just East of Van Dyke St
- Bridge #11536: Clarendon Ave Walkover - I-96 - Goes over Jeffries Fwy - Just South of Livernois
- Bridge #11537: Ivanhoe Ave Walkover - I-96 - Goes over Jeffries Fwy - Just South of Maplewood St.
- Bridge #11387: Canfield Ave Walkover - M-10 - Goes over John C Lodge Fwy - Just South of Forest Ave
- Bridge #11385: Spruce St Walkover - M-10- Goes over John C Lodge Fwy - Just South of Grand River Ave
- Bridge #11725: Hubbard St Walkover - I-75- Goes over W Fisher Fwy - Just West of Grand Blvd W
- Bridge #11724: Ferdinand Ave Walkover - I-75- Goes over W Fisher Fwy - Just East of Junction St
- Bridge #11727: Gilroy St Walkover - I-75 - Goes over Fisher Fwy - Just North East of Schaefer Hwy S
- Bridge #11887: Bike Path - County Drain - Bike path that rides next to 275, Bell Rd and International Dr
- Bridge #11886: Bike Path - County Drain - Bike path that rides next to 275, Just East of Bell Rd and Ash Rd intersection
- Bridge #11168: Brooklyn Ave Walkover - I-94 - Goes over Edsel Ford Fwy - Pedestrian bridge that lets out at Tartar Dr, the Wayne State football stadium
- Bridge #11676: Sawyer Ave Walkover - M-39 - Goes over Southfield Fwy just North of W Warren Ave
Locations of bridges with a fair condition score by county
51 of the 123 bridges in Metro Detroit have a condition rating of 5 or 6, or fair condition. Here are the locations that the Michigan Department of Transportation provides on their Bridge Condition website:
Wayne County
- Kenmore Ave Walkover @ I-94
- Selden Ave Walkover @ M-10
- Mansfield Pedestrian Crossover @ I-96 & CSX RR
- Margareta Ave Walkover @ M-10
- Monterey Ave Walkover @ M-10
- 17th St Walkover @ I-75
- Tarnow Ave Walkover @ I-94
- Sorento Pedestrian Crossover @ I-96
- Joe L Walkway @ M-10 John Lodge Fwy
- Pedestrian Crossover @ M-153
- Woodland Ave Walkover @ I-94
- Pedestrian Crossover at Jordan College @ M-5 Grand River
- Beaufait Ave Walkover @ I-94
- Holden Ave Walkover @ M-10
- Merrick Ave Walkover @ M-10
- Chatsworth Rd Walkover @ I-94
- Quirk Rd Walkover @ I-94
- Roosevelt Walkover @ I-96
- Highland Ave Walkover @ M-10
- Northlawn Ave Walkover @ M-10
- Baylis Ave Walkover @ M-10
- Bishop Ave Walkover @ I-94
- Alden Ave Walkover @ M-10
- Cochran Ave Walkover @ I-75
- Porter St Walkover @ M-10
- Lumley Ave Walkover @ I-94
- Bikeway Structure @ Edward Hines Drive
- Leland St Walkover @ I-75
- Philadelphia Ave Walkover @ I-75
- Mendota Pedestrian Crossover @ I-96
- Bagley Ave Pedestrian Crossover @ I-75 and I-96
- Division Ave Walkover @ I-75
- Roosevelt Ave Walkover @ I-94
- Muirland Ave Walkover @ M-10
- Bentler Pedestrian Crossover @ I-96
- Selden Ave Walkover @ I-96
Oakland County
- Clinton River Trail @ I-75
- Bike Path I-275 @ County Drain
- Pedestrian Overpass @ M-59 Huron
- Farmington Rd Pedestrian Crossover @ I-696
- Bike Path I-275 @ County Drain
- Powers Rd Walkover @ M-5
- Meadowood @ I-696
- Bike Path I-275 @ County Drain
- Bike Path I-275 @ County Drain
Macomb County
- Shady Lane Pedestrian Crossover @ I-94
- Bike Path @ M-97 Groesbeck Hwy
- Thomas St Pedestrian Crossover @ I-696
- Masonic Blvd Pedestrian Crossover @ M-97
- Grandmont Pedestrian Crossover @ I-696 and Service Rds
- Fernwood Pedestrian Crossover @ I-696 and Service Rds
Ingham County
- Pedestrian Crossover at Woodbine @ M-99
- Pedestrian Crossover at Edwards @ M-99
- Harrison St Pedestrian Crossover @ I-69 Bridge
- Pedestrian Crossover at Reo Rd @ M-99
- Pedestrian Crossover at Thomas @ US-27 Bridge
- Pedestrian Crossover at Clemens @ M-43 Eastbound (E Saginaw St)
Washtenaw County
- Plainview Ct Pedestrian Bridge @ I-94
- Geddes Rd Pedestrian Crossover @ US-23
- South University Pedestrian Walkover @ Washtenaw / US-23 Bridge / I-94 Bridge
- North University Pedestrian Walkover @ Washtenaw / US-23 Bridge / I-94 Bridge
- Pedestrian and Bike Path at Stone School @ I-94
- Georgina Dr Walkover @ I-94
Related: Now you can check the conditions and inspection reports of pedestrian bridges across Michigan