The City of Sterling Heights recently received a $651,000 federal grant from SEMCOG (the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments) to help replace the functionally obsolete Dodge Park Bridge, a 4-foot-wide pedestrian bridge over the Clinton River. The City of Sterling Heights will provide $279,000 of funds for local match of the project, bringing the total project cost to about $930,000.
The new, state-of-the-art, 14-foot-wide bridge will include eight pedestrian lights and have 10-foot wide multi-use path approaches on both sides of the bridge, as well as tie approaches into existing pathways of the Clinton River Trail System. The bridge will be handicap accessible, to better able address emergency response capabilities and alleviate a choke point for increased traffic resulting from the Iron Belle Trail connection and the countywide system nearing completion, according to City Manager Mark Vanderpool. Those utilizing the trail by bike will no longer have to dismount and walk across the bridge, Vanderpool said, which will help aid congestion along the trail.
“The Dodge Park Bridge is a critical link to the city’s Clinton River Park Trail System and to the Utica Road Pathway,” Vanderpool said. “The project is not an isolated improvement, but an integral part of the well-thought-out network benefiting residents of Sterling Heights, Macomb County and beyond.”
City Engineer Brent Bashaw said a recent inspection of the existing Dodge Park Bridge determined it to be structurally deficient. Temporary repairs were made to enable the bridge and trail system to remain open until the new bridge is constructed. The City intends to construct the new bridge adjacent to the existing bridge, which will allow crossings to take place during the construction phase without interruptions.
In July, SEMCOG awarded over $6.4 million in Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding for fiscal year 2016. The Sterling Heights Dodge Park Bridge was one of 14 projects awarded TAP funds in Southeast Michigan. Projects were selected by local elected officials who are members of SEMCOG’s Regional Review Clearinghouse Committee.
Media with questions can contact Community Relations Director Bridget Doyle at (586) 446-2471 or email bdoyle@sterling-heights.net.