Traffic on the Grosse Ile Bridge will be compromised “for an extended period of time” after a preliminary inspection found three of its 12 piers need repair.

The repairs will resulted in the westbound lanes being reduced to a single lane. The piers need to be accessed from the upriver side of the bridge, Supervisor Brian Loftus said in a press release.

As of mid-day Friday both lanes of the bridge were open, but with weight limited to 26 tons. The previous weight limit was around 50 tons. This is a serious reduction that is causing problems and cost increases, according to Loftus. “This is going to be a long –term, expensive problem,” he said.

“As the bridge will be single lane for an extended period of time, (Wayne County) will control directional flow with traffic lights,’’ Loftus said.

READ MORE AT: http://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/wayne/2017/08/07/grosse-ile-bridge-decay-piers-lane-closure/544551001/