GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) plans to reconstruct the Martin Luther King Jr. Street bridge over US 131 in the spring of 2026.
- The MLK Street bridge will close for 6-7 months starting March 2026 for a $30 million reconstruction project.
- Only the eastern portion of the nearly 700-foot bridge will be rebuilt, with northbound ramps closing during construction.
- Detours include Hall Street and Division Avenue, with southbound US 131 ramps remaining open.
WATCH: MLK Street bridge over US 131 to close for reconstruction next spring
The nearly 700-foot bridge will completely shut down for 6 to 7 months beginning around March 2026, though reconstruction will focus only on the east section.
"This bridge is so old, the water main is embedded within the piers, and it's made of wood from the 1890s I believe," said John Richard with MDOT.
The project will specifically target the east portion of the bridge, starting at the northbound on and off ramps. "It starts at the northbound on and off ramps and goes to the east," Richard explained.
While the bridge hasn't been deemed unsafe, MDOT officials say the aging structure is in need of replacement. "If a bridge is unsafe, of course we close it," Richard said. "It has not reached that point."
The northbound ramps will close for the entirety of the project, but the on and off ramps to and from southbound US 131 will remain open.
For drivers seeking alternate routes, MDOT recommends several options. "You've got those closely spaced interchanges with Wealthy and Hall and Burton, and of course MLK," Richard said. "There's a lot of choices."
Richard says the main detour route will be Hall Street and Division Avenue.
This bridge reconstruction project has been planned for several years, according to Richard, and comes at a high cost.
"As of right now, you know, based on current cost of materials, it's around $30 million for this bridge replacement," Richard said.
Despite its longstanding run in Grand Rapids of over a century, Richard says the time has come for a rebuild.
"It's served us well, but it's time for a rebuild," Richard said.
For MDOT's Michigan Drive Map, click here.
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