Rainy weather and saturated ground conditions have delayed the reopening of the M-28 bridge over Jackson Creek east of Wakefield until Oct. 31.
The detour currently in place was set to be lifted Oct. 27, but the bridge is now expected to be reopened to traffic on Oct. 31, weather permitting.
Eastbound and westbound M-28 remains closed at the bridge. Access is being maintained to businesses and residences along M-28. Eastbound traffic is detoured onto US-2 at Wakefield, then north onto M-64 and back to M-28. The route is reversed for westbound traffic. The approximate length of the detour is 33.5 miles.
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is investing $3.9 million to remove and replace the bridge. The project was behind schedule due to heavy rain and flooding in mid-June, as well as several construction operations that took longer to complete than originally anticipated. The project was also impacted by the recent labor dispute.