By Jim Bloch
A century old bridge in Port Huron will get some rehab early next year.
The city has hired DLZ Michigan, Inc., of Lansing, to engineer the work that’s needed on the approaches of the historic Seventh Street Bridge over the Black River.
The city council voted at its regular meeting Sept. 25 to approve a $78,141 contract with the company.
DLZ conducted safety inspections of the moveable bridges at Seventh and 10th streets over the Black River and the fixed Gratiot Avenue bridge spanning the Black River Canal in September 2022. The company discovered that Seventh Street bridge had a “fair amount of spalling, de-lamination and concrete deterioration on the concrete substructure.”
As a result, the city hired DLZ in April to conduct a detailed inspection of the approach spans to the bridge.
In its Approach Structure Inspection Report, DLZ recommended “the rehabilitation of the approach spans (superstructure and substructure) of the Seventh Street bridge which will include substructure patching, deck patching, crack repair, resealing the bridge joints, placing an epoxy overlay of the roadway, and placing healer sealer on the approach span sidewalks,” according to the resolution passed by the council.
Now the city has hired the firm to design the rehab work, which will take place in 2024.
“After the inspection, it was deemed that there was some rehabilitation work that needed to be done to the superstructure and spans,” said City Manager James Freed, as heard on the recording of the council meeting posted on the city’s website. “This is an engineering contract to develop the scope of that work and bid docs.
“Was it anticipated at the time that we’d have some problems?” asked Mayor Pauline Repp.
Yes, said Freed. “This is almost routine maintenance.”
The company discussed the project in a letter to Port Huron DPW director Eric Witter.
“The specifications will include the development of a Maintenance of Traffic Special Provision describing the traffic control requirements of the contractor,” said Manoj Sethi, president of DLZ. “Some of the substructure patching is located within the counterweight area. The contractor may desire to perform the repair work prior to April 30th when a 12-hour notice is required for opening. DLZ will coordinate with the United States Coast Guard and apply for a permit as necessary. A permit from the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) is not anticipated to be required based on the scope of work and previous projects.”
The company will generate the engineering plans for the work, the bidding documents and an engineer’s probable cost of the improvements. It will assess the bids and recommend a contractor.
“Our services during construction will include on-site inspection when the contractor is actively working on the project; review of Contractor proposed materials specifications and certifications; (and) preparation of Inspector Reports,” said Sethi.
The Michigan Department of Transportation regulates the maintenance and inspections of all bridges within the state. Bridge owners are required to comply with the MDOT and Federal Highway Administration’s regulations regarding bridges.
The council voted 6-0 to hire DLZ. Council member Jeff Pemberton was absent.
Bridge turns 100
“The Seventh Street Bridge is the only single-leaf bascule bridge in Michigan,” according to historicbridges.org. “Although it has experienced some alterations, the bridge’s historical integrity remains essentially intact.”
The bridge is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.
“This bridge is a single leaf bascule bridge, which is unusual in highway bridges,” according to the website. “The bridge is of the fixed-trunnion design, which means the whole bridge rotates on a large axle called a trunnion… This bridge was designed by famous bridge engineer J. A. L. Waddell… Waddell was traditionally a proponent of vertical lift bridges. The 7th Street Bridge is a rare surviving example of a bascule bridge designed by Waddell. Since he died in 1938, the Seventh Street Bridge is likely among the last bridges he designed.”
The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.
Jim Bloch is a freelance writer based in St. Clair, Michigan. Contact him at bloch.jim@gmail.com.