By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Michigan’s lieutenant governor visited a bridge near Williamston that remains closed and is slated for improvements under a new program.

Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist traveled to the Dietz Road bridge over the Red Cedar River near Williamston Monday to discuss Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Rebuilding Michigan plan. It would allow MDOT to administer $300 (m) million to fix bridges in serious or critical condition across the state, including the Dietz Road bridge.

Gilchrist commented that as the state builds its way out of the pandemic, they have an opportunity to invest in communities by rebuilding Michigan's infrastructure and creating countless good-paying jobs in the process. He noted families need safe roads to drive on and small businesses need reliable roads to efficiently distribute goods, which is why they've put forward a proposal to rebuild or fix 120 bridges that are in serious or critical condition across Michigan.

The Dietz Road bridge was built in 1934 and has never been reconstructed. It has an MDOT structure condition rating of serious condition and is currently closed to traffic.