BYRON TOWNSHIP, Mich. - Michigan State Police and the Michigan Department of Transportation are partnering for "targeted enforcement on U.S. 131 south of Grand Rapids."
The partnership comes after the 100th Street bridge has been hit 10 times over the last 15 months. Four of the hits did significant damage to the bridge causing it to close down at times for inspections and construction.
MDOT spokesman John Richard said, "We'd like to do as much as possible to prevent any further damage."
"It falls back on the commercial industry and the driver," MSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division Lt. Brad Cushman said. "They are the only ones who can truly correct the problem."
The visibility of the MSP out on the highway near the bridge may help. But the truth is it's going to be tough for state troopers to spot a load that's over the the permitted 13 feet 6 inches.
"Unless it's egregiously over height, it's very difficult to tell," Lt. Cushman said.
Lt. Cushman is hoping truck drivers will take the extra minute to measure the load to make sure it's compliant.
All of the truck drivers who have hit the bridge have either not had permits for an oversized load or did have permits but went a different way to try to cut off time and ended up hitting the bridge.
One solution that may be a temporary fix on top of the enforcement, MDOT is going to shave off a couple of inches of the roadway under the bridge this fall, giving a little more room. The bridge is now open to two lanes over U.S. 131 after two major hits in January knocked the bridge down to one lane in one direction.
MDOT is expected to replace the bridge as early as 2020.
Richard was clear to say the 100th Street bridge wasn't the only victim.
"This is just not this one bridge problem," Richard said. "This is happening all over the state."
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