WALKER, Mich. — A Kent County bridge that has been standing for more than 100 years is responsible for countless crashes. Now, the city of Walker plans to replace the outdated overpass.
The Bristol Avenue Bridge in Walker is just ten feet tall and one car wide.
"Occasionally, a truck driver will come through and not know the height of his vehicle and so some damage to his truck or even the bridge itself," Walker City Engineer Scott Conners said.
The city says enough is enough — so, it secured federal and state grants to replace the aging structure with a taller, wider bridge.
The new bridge will have a 14-foot clearance and a two-way road.
"We just can't come in and do whatever we want to do with the bridge. We must get approvals from the railroad and MDOT," Conners explained.
Engineers plan to lower Bristol Avenue and raise the railroad in order to make these changes. Plus, to accommodate the new lanes, it will become a three-way stop.
"So, the new bridge is not just a bridge. We took a very good look at the aesthetics, and so, we've got some brick patterns and some ledgestone patterns that are going to go on the bridge to give it a little bit of a historic look. We're pretty proud of the way it's going to look," Conners said.
The new bridge also will have a sidewalk on the east side to allow the city of Walker to expand its sidewalk system.
"I think as Walker has developed, the north-south roads are becoming more and more important, and this is one of the key ones. With West Catholic and with the development that's occurring to the north, for passenger vehicles and light trucks, they just need to be able to get through here," Conners said.
Construction is set to start in late March and is scheduled to be complete in late August.
(This article has been updated to reflect construction dates from the City of Walker.)
