Park-like Oak Park bridge over I-696 slated for $25-$30M replacement

Ann Zaniewski | Detroit Free Press

State road officials are planning to replace a park-topped pedestrian bridge over I-696 because leaking water is creating a potential hazard to motorists traveling below.

The plaza, built in 1985 in Oak Park, has already undergone several renovations and repairs over the years, including in 2016. But large icicles still form underneath and dangle over the roadway.

"Multiple efforts to prevent water intrusion, and subsequent ice buildup on the beams, have been largely unsuccessful, and a more long-term solution is needed," said Matt Chynoweth, chief bridge engineer for the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Removing and replacing the plaza, which is home to the 3.7-acre Victoria Park and a stretch of Church Street, will cost an estimated $25-$30 million. The project is scheduled for 2024-2025.

The plaza is one of three that cross over the freeway.

In the early 1980s, three synagogues, some businesses and the cities of Lathrup Village and Pleasant Ridge sued the state to stop construction of part of I-696, claiming it would divide the Jewish community. The area is home to many Orthodox Jews, who generally avoid driving on the sabbath.

Politicians and transportation leaders agreed on a compromise: The freeway would be built under three park-like plazas in Oak Park and Southfield that would unite the two sides. Pedestrians could walk above, while vehicles moved below them in lighted tunnels.

The Victoria Park plaza is two years older and in worse shape than the other two, which went up in 1987.

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Water leaks have been a problem for years. In 2016, a $6-million project that involved stripping off the soil, putting on a concrete cap and then replacing the soil proved to be less effective than officials hoped, Chynoweth said. Foam was injected into beams underneath this past summer.

Residents will be able to weigh in on what the replacement plaza bridge looks like.

"We would have to work with the community to assess what we could put back," Chynoweth said. "Obviously, we want to put a bridge back that suits their needs, but isn’t too onerous of a bridge to maintain like we have now."

Oak Park City Manager Erik Tungate learned about the project Friday through the Free Press.

"(We will) want to make sure we’re doing everything we can to create a construction environment that has as little disruption to the neighborhood as possible," he said. "Residents should be included in the planning process."

Contact Ann Zaniewski at 313-222-6594 or azaniewski@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @AnnZaniewski.