MDOT considers changes to Washington Street bridge

Replacement of the deck of the Washington Street bridge in Constantine was the subject of an open house staged last week by Michigan Department of Transportation.

Traffic count averages 3,000 vehicles per day, and MDOT is considering reduction of the width of the bridge and the number of lanes leading into it.

Set to begin next year near Stears Road and end at Spring Street, the project involves bridge rehabilitation and deck replacement, road reconstruction near the bridge, road surface treatment and water- main replacement under the bridge. Plans call for a two- lane bridge with 12- foot lanes, five feet of sidewalk on each side and three feet between the lanes and the sidewalk.

In addition, the number of lanes north of the bridge could decrease from four to three, one each way plus a center left-turn lane.