ALGOMA TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — We need roads and bridges to get around, but hundreds across the state need repairs now and thousands will need to be fixed in the coming years.
The problem is money. A recent report said the state needs nearly $4 billion more annually to maintain and improve Michigan’s roads and bridges.
Erik Easterly with the Kent County Road Commission is one of the engineers who inspects the 166 bridges in the county. He took a News 8 crew to the bridge on 12 Mile Road over the Rogue River in Rockford.
“Here you can see is the worst case scenario on this bridge, which is on an interior beam … multiple strands lost,” explained Easterly.
Those strands are what carry the weight of your car when you’re driving across the bridge. Each beam has anywhere between 30 to 40 strands, sometimes more.
“You’re seeing a steel strand exposed here. You can see it has pretty heavy rusting,” Easterly said.