GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A cold, rainy day isn't a great day for a walk in downtown Grand Rapids. Still, a lot of people use the Gillett Bridge to get from one side of the river to the next. The city understands that - so they're giving this 110-year-old bridge a refresh.
"The sidings and the railings are a little rundown, with a bunch of cracks and little rust," Christian Nguyen said, out walking on the Gillett Bridge.
Nguyen uses the bridge to get to work.
"Pretty much, every weekday, every morning and every afternoon. I live on the west side, so I cut through the park, cross this bridge to get to work downtown," Nguyen said.
After getting sprayed with slush by a passing car on another bridge, Nguyen says that the Gillett Bridge became his go-to.
"Pretty frequently, twice a day, five days a week, and then sometimes on the weekend, if I'm heading downtown."
This downtown bridge sits between the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and DeVos Place Convention Center and is getting a makeover this summer.
"Replace the deck surface of the Gillett Bridge, also do some minor repair work, sandblast, paint the railings, the parapet walls, and refurbish the existing decorative light fixtures that are out there," Grand Rapids City Engineer Tim Burkman said.
The city engineer adds the city and the downtown development authority are paying $866,000.
"We've known for some time that the deck is in need of replacement. There's trip hazards out there," Burkman said. "Frost heave issues have caused some deterioration of the surface, and so looking forward to restoring that and just replacing the entirety of the deck surface."
A Kalamazoo company built the almost 500-foot bridge for trolley cars in the early 1900s. Nowadays, it's a spot for art installations, fireworks, and a place to meet up.
"When it does come to being done, I'm sure when the lights are back up and the bridge is finally done, it'll look great," Ryan Ayers, who often uses the bridge, said.
The city explains the plan is to close this down at the beginning of July and be back open after the Labor Day weekend.
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