Southbound I-75, Zilwaukee Bridge detour begins April 1 2013 for Saginaw County construction

SAGINAW, MI — Southbound traffic on Interstate 75 will be detoured via I-675 through April 27 as part of a construction project that will be completed in the spring of 2015, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. The detour begins Monday, April 1, as part of a $70-million project that includes the replacement of bearings on the Zilwaukee Bridge and other work on I-75. Roadwork extends from Janes Road to the north junction of I-675.

I-75 traffic restrictions will be as follows:

• April 1-27: southbound I-75 traffic will be detoured via I-675.
• Janes Road will remain closed and detoured via Outer Drive, Wadsworth Avenue and Tower Line Road.

Starting Saturday, April 27, and continuing through 2013:

• Northbound I-75 traffic will be maintained on I-75 Wednesday to Saturday, with traffic detoured using I-675 Sunday to Tuesday.
• Southbound I-75 traffic will be maintained on I-75 Sunday to Tuesday, with traffic detoured using I-675 Wednesday to Saturday until the completion of the project.

The project will continue with more detours through 2014 and is expected to be completed in April 2015, according to MDOT.
Improvements on I-75 include reconstructing the highway from Janes Road to the north junction of I-675, guardrail and storm drainage work, pavement restoration, and shoulder work on all Zilwaukee Bridge rampsfor a total investment of $29 million, according to MDOT.
The project is meant to maximize the life of the Zilwaukee Bridge   and improve the overall condition of I-75, according to MDOT.

The Janes Road bridge over I-75 is being replaced. Work, which began in November 2012, includes slope paving and approach replacement. The bridge is currently closed with traffic detoured to Wadsworth Road. Once Janes Road bridge work is complete, crews will begin resurfacing the Wadsworth Road bridge over I-75, including repair work under the bridge, painting, and concrete surface coating. Wadsworth traffic will be detoured to Janes Road. The investment for this section of the project is $6 million, MDOT said.

Zilwaukee Bridge
The Zilwaukee Bridge project includes replacing bearings, bridge deck overlay and barrier repairs and electrical work. Southbound bearing replacement, including the road and bridge work project, begins April 1 and continues through January 2014. Northbound bearing replacement will begin after work is completed on the southbound lanes and is expected to last through January 2015. The total investment for this part of the project is $36 million.
Work on the Zilwaukee Bridge includes:

• Replacing 32 expansion joint bearings (16 in each direction).
• Replacing 98 pier bearings (48 northbound and 50 southbound).
• Replacing eight abutment bearings (four in each direction).
• Repairing or replacing nearly 10,000 feet of bridge barrier.
• Repairing 3.2 percent of the total surface area of the bridge deck concrete overlay.
• Applying a sealant to the bridge deck in both directions, including Ramp H.
• Replacing all bearings on Ramp H.

For updated information about the project visit MDOT's I-75 and Zilwaukee Bridge improvements project web site. Business owners and community stakeholders can contact the Bay City Transportation Service Center at 989-671-1555 or MDOT-z-bridge@michigan.gov.