Douglas has installed steel plates over its under-repair Ferry Street bridge culvert to allow emergency vehicle only across it for public safety reasons until restoration for everyday traffic there is complete.
That may be awhile. Engineers Monday told city council repairs may cost upwards of $725,000. They suggested financing help might come from Saugatuck city, which also has a major economic stake in the thoroughfare, voter-OK’d bond approval, low-interest state loans or, better, no-longer-available this fiscal year state grants.
There’s no ‘good’ time for a public-safety emergency that must be addressed soon as possible, members concurred.
Meanwwhile, “Please be aware,” city manager Lisa Nocerini emphasized in a notice issued Aug. 15, “this temporary measure (of installing steel plates) is intended strictly for emergency use.
“No passenger vehicles or any other types of traffic, apart from public safety vehicles, will be permitted to access the bridge. The area will be closely monitored, and any unauthorized vehicles will be ticketed,” Nocerini said.
Pedestrians and cyclists may still cross the bridge for now, but the city urges everyone to use the designated paved area of the road on the east side of the bridge, which will be marked. (See nearby picture.)
Bicyclists are strongly urged to walk vehicles across the bridge for safety reasons, and both they and walkers should avoid using the steel plate crossing.
“Please exercise extreme caution when approaching the area. There are marked warnings to help avoid any potential trip and fall hazards,” Nocerini said.
Douglas closed north-south Ferry where it crosses the Warnock Drain between West Shore Drive and Campbell Street Aug. 2 after a sinkhole appeared there, prompting other safety and structural concerns.
Northbound traffic was and remains directed west on Center to Lakeshore Drive, then north on sometime narrow, two-lane Lakeshore to Campbell, thence east on the border road between cities until traffic can head north on what in Saugatuck becomes Park Street.
This congests traffic to homes along the stretch, not to mention popular summer attractions such as Mt. Baldhead Park, Ox-Bow Art School and Oval Beach.
Southbound traffic is detoured west on Campbell, then south on Lakeshore, and east on Center until Ferry Street, beyond where it’s closed, is reached.
“Public safety,” said Nocerini, “has always been and will continue to be our top priority. While we have concerns about the weight the bridge can bear, these steel plates provide a temporary solution that allows our emergency responders to operate without interruption.
“The next steps involve obtaining quotes to replace the culvert and advancing the project as quickly as possible,” she said.
