Atlas Twp.-The Henderson Road bridge over the Kearsley Creek, located north of Kipp Road, is now one of five in Genesee County that may be closed within the next five years if additional funding is not received for repairs.
Genesee County Road Commission Manager-Director John Daly made the announcement on April 3 and reported the Henderson Road bridge is in critical condition.
‘This is not about Proposition 1 and the sales tax hike’I really don’t care where the money comes from,? he said. ‘It’s about the bridges and their life span’just like humans, they get old. These bridges were built between 1929 and 1941 they get to a point where you just can’t fix them anymore. Bridges are concentration points of the network of roads in the community and they are very costly to repair. The Henderson Road bridge repair estimate is $700,000 and the aggregate of all five bridges is $7 million to bring them back up to where the should be.?
The bridge is OK for now, added Daily.
‘The Henderson Road bridge is safe to drive over,? he said. ‘If there is one absolute we never compromise on, it’s the safety of the public.?
Shirley Kautman-Jones, township supervisor, was aware of the bridge issues.
‘That bridge was considered critical in December 2008 when the Green Road bridge was shutdown for replacement,? she said. ‘It was a real eye opener. The Henderson Road bridge is on the list to be replaced in 2017 when funding becomes available. We’ve known this bridge has had problems and they should be restricting weight for those traveling over. It won’t be the end of the world if they closed the bridge, but it’s a major inconvenience for many who cross it everyday, including school buses.?