Saginaw's State Street Bridge over the Cass River photo credit: Bernie Eng- The Saginaw News |
A 256-foot long, multi-span Pratt Truss Bridge will be reclaimed from the vines and shrubs. The city of Saginaw's State Street Bridge over the Cass River is 102 years old, and has been closed since 1976. Only six multi-span truss bridges remain intact in Michigan.
But in April 2009 work will begin to make the bridge a part of Saginaw's trail system. Bridgeport Township Supervisor, Pat Gilles, called the plan a "focal point" for a proposed trail system. From the bridge a trail would progress through Lyle Park to Fort Street Bridge. Additional easements are being sought, and a Great Lakes Discovery Center is being planned.
Such projects do not come cheap... this one will cost $1.7 million. Contributors to the reconstruction are the township, the downtown development authority, Michigan DOT, and federal funds. The federal dollars come from a fund called Transportation Enhancements, first created as IS-TEA. (Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act). With each new congress some changes have occurred, and the program is now SAFETEA-LU. Nevertheless, funds have continued to be available for such "enhancements" as hiking and bicycling trails.
Construction has a tentative completion date of November 2009.
See Fact Sheet onTransportation Enhancements
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