Crews were hard at work placing a new bridge on top of the current bridge.
POWELL TWP -- The controversial bridge the Marquette County Road Commission plans to abandon on County Road KK in Powell Township got a much-needed facelift Tuesday.
Crews were hard at work placing a new bridge on top of the current bridge. The reason for the work is Longyear Logging plans to use the route. They paid for the work that will be completed this week.
In the fall, the road commission lowered the weight limit to 50 ton max; now it will be rated for 80 tons.
It is estimated to cost Longyear about $50,000, but the decision to improve the bridge is better then their other options.
"If they don't put in this temporary bridge, their alternate route is a long way around, and it involves a lot of snowplowing, you know, with the winter months now," said Kurt Taavola of the Marquette County Road Commission. "I believe it's more costly for them to do the snowplowing around an alternate route than it is to place this temporary in there so they can get their logs out."
The road commission will be holding a hearing January 18 at the Ishpeming Township Hall on the petition of the Huron Mountain Club to abandon the road and bridge.
Click here to read more on the road abandonment and the petition from the Huron Mountain Club.
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