WYOMING, Mich. — The much-anticipated 28th Street pedestrian bridge project in Wyoming is nearing completion, with residents eagerly awaiting its opening after nearly two decades in the making.
"It's almost 20 years in the making to bring this bridge to our community. So as you can imagine, we're really excited to almost have it open and available to the public," said Nicole Hofert, Director of Community and Economic Development for the City of Wyoming.
The bridge aims to connect the bustling commercial activities on the south side of 28th Street, an area that sees approximately 30,000 cars daily, providing a safe way for pedestrians to traverse this busy road.
"So we're building this new pedestrian connection between the kind of the commercial activity that's happening on the south side of the street,” Hofert explained.
Long-time Wyoming resident and avid cyclist, Mark Manglitz, expressed his enthusiasm for the bridge, saying it will provide safer passage over 28th Street. “I’m an avid cyclist, and a lot of the trails here in Kent County are south of 28th Street, which means I got across 28th street with my bicycle, not anymore. Now this little trail here will take me right over,” Manglitz said.
Mark also highlighted the risks of navigating the congested area, stating, “It's a dangerous place to be on, even a motorcycle, even I give up motorcycling in the city of Wyoming because of the traffic.”
The original timeline for the bridge had completion set at the end of June, but material delays had pushed the opening back.
Hofert assured residents the project “essentially” will be ready after final inspections.
"We are about a couple of weeks off of our initial timeline, and that was just being able to get some of the materials. It was material delays, which I'm sure a lot of people working in construction can understand,” Hofert remarked.
Manglitz noted that the wait will be worthwhile due to the quality design.
“They made it nice and wide. They did it right; it did. So take your time and do it right,” he concluded.
Street closures on 28th Street are expected to continue for the next week and a half, with inspections scheduled to finalize the opening schedule.
Once opened, the bridge will serve as a vital connector for residents, including those heading to Pinery Park and the commercial activities on the north side of the street—a step toward meeting Wyoming’s evolving development needs.
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