Those expecting to see the Polly Ann Trail pedestrian bridge erected over M-24 this weekend will be sorely disappointed ? yet again.
A delay in painting the controversial bridge means it won’t be here for another two weeks, according to Robert Carlson, project manager for Steadfast Bridges, the company in Fort Payne, Alabama that fabricated the bridge, which will be located between Church and Center streets in Oxford Village.
Larry Obrecht, project manager for the trail surfacing and bridge construction, had informed local officials Sept. 2 that the bridge would be erected Sept. 15, 16 and, if necessary, 17.
But according to Carlson, the 100-foot-long, 14-foot-wide bridge is scheduled to be shipped in four sections Tuesday, Sept. 26 and arrive here in Oxford on Friday, September 29.
‘They want to set it on a Friday so that’s what we’re shooting for,? he said.
‘It takes us roughly three days of transport to get up there.?
Steadfast Bridges? heavy workload is the reason for the delay.
‘The bridge fabrication is complete,? Carlson said. ‘We’ve just got so much work here in our shop that our paint shop is backed up.?
Carlson said ‘the bridge is next in line? to be ‘blasted,? a process to prepare the steel’s surface for painting. After that, three coats of paint will be applied. It takes approximately 24 hours for each coat to cure.
‘You can’t rush paint work,? he said. ‘You’re talking about a three-coat system. You’ve got to give it adequate curing time before you get your next coat on.?
Blasting and painting will commence ‘probably in the next day or two,? Carlson said.
Also prior to shipping, Carlson said the 6-foot-high chain link fence with black vinyl coating must be installed along both sides of the bridge. ‘We’ll have that already attached to the bridge,? he said.
Plans are to have the 37,196-pound bridge set in place on a Friday evening ? presumably Sept. 29 ? between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. The bridge’s concrete deck (floor) would be poured the next evening during the same time frame.
During the aforementioned construction times, northbound and southbound M-24 would be closed and traffic rerouted.
Northbound traffic will turn right on E. Burdick, left on N. Glaspie St (which becomes Oxford Rd.), then left on Ray Rd. back to M-24.
For the southbound detour motorists will turn left on Church St., right on Louck St., then right on East St. back to M-24.
However, according to Oxford Village Manager Joe Young, these detour routes could change depending on the outcome of a meeting set for 1:30 p.m. this Friday at Oakland County Animal Control involving Obrecht, Oxford’s police and fire chiefs and representatives from the Michigan Department of Transportation.
At Tuesday night’s village meeting, council voted unanimously to request alternate detour routes, suggested by Councilman Tom Benner, be used instead.
Benner proposed southbound traffic turn right onto First St., left on Pleasant St., then left on Davison St. back to M-24.
As for northbound traffic, Benner recommended northbound traffic turn right onto East St., left on Louck St., then left on Church St. back to M-24.
‘Northbound traffic, with trucks and everything, I feel would make an easier right-hand turn at East St. (as opposed to E. Burdick St.),? the councilman noted.
Benner believes these proposed routes would have ‘less impact on our village streets,? which are maintained by local tax dollars.
Councilman Dave Bailey noted the current northbound detour route ‘involves using a questionable surface on Ray Road,? which is a gravel road.
‘If we could get it all on a hard surface than that would probably be an improvement,? Bailey said. ‘I’ve certainly been glad when I had to make detours up in Lapeer County during the work on M-24 that those detours were all on asphalt.?
Once erected, the bridge would connect the eastern and western portions of the Polly Ann Trail, which are divided by M-24. The 14.2 mile trail runs though Oxford, Addison and Orion townships and the villages of Oxford and Leonard.