ALANSON — Safety updates are coming to the Alanson swing bridge after a drunk driver took out one of its gates earlier this year.
According to Village of Alanson President Jamie Breithaupt, the issues at the swing bridge have been ongoing for a few years, but the village is making some changes to make it clear to drivers how to properly use the structure.
The swing bridge is a one-lane bridge open to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. When raised, it allows boats to pass through the Crooked River. When closed, vehicles on either side of the bridge are supposed to cross one at a time, taking turns back and forth.
The bridge was originally set to be repaired before Memorial Day, but there were delays in getting materials through U.S. customs. As a temporary solution, the bridge operator would have to leave his booth to set up chain linked fences to stop vehicles from attempting to cross when the bridge was raised. On June 20, the operator was “clipped by a truck,” Breithaupt said, and village officials completely closed vehicle traffic on the bridge. The bridge later reopened to vehicles on June 22, according to the Village of Alanson Facebook page.
“(People) just drive way too fast across the bridge, they don’t stop at the stop signs that are posted on each side of the bridge before they cross the bridge,” Breithaupt said.
As issues have persisted at the bridge, village officials rented temporary traffic lights with arms. The rental cost was around $3,200, Breithaupt said.
He added that it was worth the investment to allow local traffic to cross without having to go around to the highway while also keeping the bridge operator safe. Marine traffic at the site is important as well, with weekends typically bringing more than 100 boats through the bridge. The Fourth of July alone saw 222 boats, and July 5 had 243.
Breithaupt told the News-Review the goal is to keep the bridge tender off the bridge as traffic passes. The village invested in cameras so they can review footage in case there is another incident and they have also ordered speed bumps to ensure vehicle traffic slows down.
According to a Facebook post from village officials, the new traffic gates and speed bumps are supposed to be installed starting Wednesday, July 16, with construction expected to be wrapped on Friday, July 18. River Street will be closed to vehicle traffic from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, with traffic being detoured via M-68. Pedestrian and marine traffic will still be able to cross.
Once the gates are set, Breithaupt said the village will install new signs with instructions for how to cross safely.
— Contact reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @KarlyGrahamJrn.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Swing bridge in Alanson getting new safety updates after multiple incidents
Reporting by Karly Graham, The Petoskey News-Review / The Petoskey News-Review
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