It has a tiny case of the shakes and it clunks loudly under "wheel," but for being one of Grand Rapids' oldest residents (126 years), the Sixth Street Bridge is in pretty good shape for the shape it's in. But getting it physically fit for its next decades of auto, bike and foot traffic is going to be a big part of the bridge's summer schedule.
According to
HistoricBridges.org, the Massillon Bridge Company of Massillon, OH constructed the Sixth Street Bridge in 1886, and it was rehabbed in 1978. Beginning May 14, a new $1,989,000 rehabilitation will close the bridge until August 17.
"The deck of the bridge is in very poor condition; it's been asphalted and, underneath that, I think it's actually wood," says Jeff McCaul, assistant city engineer. "The new deck will put steel beam stringers underneath with a steel grid deck on top of those, and seven inches of lightweight concrete on top of that."
In addition, the rehabbed bridge will sport new wood plank sidewalks, new "rub rails," new tuckpointing on the piers, and a new brick roadway between Front St. NW and the bridge.
During the rehabilitation, vehicular traffic will be detoured south to Bridge St. NW, pedestrian traffic across the river will be detoured north to Leonard St., and pedestrian traffic on the east riverwalk will be redirected to the east side of Monroe Avenue.
The project received funding from a Michigan Department of Transportation grant, the Downtown Development Authority and Street Capital funds. MDOT awarded the project bid to
Walter Toebe Construction Company.
Source: Press release and Jeff McCaul, City of Grand Rapids
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor
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