Beverly Hills, Mich. — The Road Commission for Oakland County, in the near future, will permanently close additional lanes on the Avon Road bridge over the Clinton River just east of Livernois in Rochester Hills.
The amount of weight that can legally be carried over the bridge will also be reduced. The changes are necessary due to the deteriorating condition of the bridge.
The increased weight restrictions will take effect tomorrow, Feb. 3. The additional lanes will be closed as soon as the road is clear and dry enough so that the Road Commission can paint new lane markings on the bridge deck.
With the additional lane closures, the five-lane bridge will be reduced to one lane in each direction. In 2009, the westbound outside lane on the bridge was closed.
The additional deterioration of the bridge was discovered during a Jan. 20 inspection of the bridge. That inspection revealed further deterioration of the bridge beams.
As of Feb. 3, vehicles weighing more than 14 tons will not be allowed to legally cross the bridge. This a reduction from the previous restrictions that stood at 17 tons for a single unit, 25 tons for a truck with a trailer and 28 tons for a double-trailer unit.
The lane closures and weight restrictions will remain in place until the bridge is replaced. RCOC has been approved to receive funding to replace the bridge in 2013.
About Tom and Ann Gendich