MDOT prepares for major Portage Lake Lift Bridge upgrade
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is preparing for an extensive, multi-year repair and upgrade project on the Portage Lake Lift Bridge. Work will include removing and replacing the upper and lower decks of the lift span, as well as replacing the northernmost span’s concrete deck, partial bridge painting and other repairs.
The project team is currently working on a new method to rebuild the central part of the bridge. The project’s start date is being moved back to allow time to explore the feasibility of replacing the entire lift span rather than making improvements to the existing lift span in place. This would involve first building an entirely new lift span off-site, then disconnecting and floating out the old span on barges and floating in the replacement within a brief window of time, the same way the original lift span was installed in 1959.
“Throughout this process, our goal has been to make high-quality, lasting repairs to the bridge while minimizing impacts on the traveling public as much as possible,” said MDOT Ishpeming TSC Manager Rob Tervo. “Taking the time to explore this new idea directly supports that goal.”
