A major overhaul of Michigan’s largest bridge is currently underway, and PM Environmental was a big part of the preliminary work. 

PM completed the Preliminary Site Investigation (PSI) for the $165 million Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) project, which will remove and replace the entire concrete surface on the 1-75 bridge over the Rouge River and Fort Street near Detroit, Michigan.

PM reviewed the Project Area Contamination Survey (PACS), which identified various properties that are or may be contaminated and advanced soil borings to collect soil and groundwater samples near the bridge to investigate potential environmental contamination that may be encountered during bridge renovation activities conducted by MDOT.

“Safety of PM’s onsite technicians was the utmost concern during completion of the site investigation,” said Casey Armstrong, regional manager of contract services at PM Environmental. “This is an extremely heavily traveled portion of I-75 in Detroit, and some sample locations were positioned in close proximity to the highway.” 

Starting Feb. 4, the southbound lanes on Interstate 75 from Springwells in Detroit to Northline in Southgate will be closed for nearly two years to rebuild the dilapidated bridge.

The bridge construction project will include deck replacement, freeway lighting replacement, structural steel repairs, substructure repair, and bridge approach reconstruction, including installing pressure relief joints and maintaining traffic. Furthermore, Abutments and piers will not be removed, but the remaining parts of the mainline bridge will be replaced.

“The purpose of the Preliminary Site Investigation was to inform MDOT of any potential environmental contamination that may be encountered during the construction phase of the project, and if encountered, how to properly handle any contaminated media,” said Armstrong.

Completion for the project is scheduled for October 2018. To view more information about the project, click here: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2016/12/05/downriver-highway-contruction/94999080/