Napier Avenue Bridge To Reopen Friday

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20220426_181041-4

The Berrien County Road Department will have the Napier Avenue Bridge over the St. Joseph River back open to traffic on Friday. Interim Director Kevin Stack tells WSJM News crews working on the bridge were going to pour some concrete on Thursday, but due to the weather, that will likely be delayed to next Tuesday.

“We’re still going to one on Friday morning, one lane in each direction, how it was prior to the shutdown, for motorists for the weekend,” Stack said. “Next Tuesday, we will have to do a one-lane closure, whether it will be under a temporary traffic light or a detour of eastbound traffic, for ten hours as they do pour that new deck. Then it will be open with one lane in each direction there on out.”

The bridge was closed in April when rehabilitation crews noticed some supports fail. Since then, Stack says the supports have been replaced and the road department has been able to observe the bridge with emergency vehicles and heavy construction equipment on it. He says it’s performed as expected, and drivers can be sure the bridge is safe when it reopens. Meanwhile, the rehabilitation project the bridge is undergoing will take a bit longer than the expected August finish date. Stack says that work will likely continue through the end of September.