TRENTON, Mich. (WXYZ) — Neighbors in Trenton have been demanding answers about the crumbling West Road viaduct for years.
Because of the poor condition of the bridge piers, the county has now added weight restrictions to the bridge.
Wayne County continues to assure drivers that the bridge is safe. But nearby residents say they’re tired of waiting for it to be fixed.
“The bridge is a problem and we're stuck holding the bag,” said Chris Zochowski, who lives near the bridge.
Zochowski and his wife Lynn are fed up. The couple has been frustrated with the crumbling condition of the West Road viaduct in Trenton for years.
It’s a crucial Downriver bridge that allows residents to cross over railroad tracks for quick access to hospitals and the freeway.
Wayne County owns the bridge and is responsible for maintaining it.
In 2021, county officials told the 7 Investigators that major repairs would start on the bridge in 2022. But then we learned in 2022 that the plans had changed, with Wayne County planning a total rebuild instead of repairs.
Now it’s another year later and the rebuild still hasn’t started.
“That's a bridge that we've been waiting a year to get anything done,” Zochowski said.
Since our story last fall, the county has conducted at least four more inspections of the bridge that’s rated at a 3 on a scale of 1 to 9, which means it’s in serious condition.
In the last year, weight restrictions have been added to limit heavy trucks.
Inspection reports obtained by the 7 Investigators show those weight limits are needed because of “multiple locations of undermined bearings” and deficiencies in the bridge’s piers.
Also in May, a gravel hauler hit the bridge causing significant damage to a bridge pier and forcing a lane closure.
“It is safe by safety inspections,” said Scott Cabauatan, deputy director of Wayne County Public Services.
Cabauatan also lives in Trenton and is a member of the Trenton City Council.
“I personally drive that bridge multiple times a week with my family, with my son. The bridge is safe. We have support structures in place to support the bridge to make sure that it is safe,” Cabauatan told 7 Investigator Heather Catallo.
Cabauatan says the new bridge is in the design phase right now with a planned construction date in 2025. It’s expected to cost about $35 million, allowing the bridge to last at least 60 years.
“It's a heavy lift up front from a financial standpoint. But in the long run, it is the best use of road fund dollars,” Cabauatan said.
But for those who live right next to the bridge, the rebuild can’t come soon enough.
Last year, the 7 Investigators showed you how the drains on the bridge have been listed as plugged on county inspection reports since 2019. They were marked as plugged again in April of this year. Residents nearby say those clogged drains cause flooding to their properties.
The Zochowski’s say they’re tired of their yards and homes being flooded when the alley next to the bridge fills up during storms. They’ve been documenting the water levels all summer.
“We did have a few that were plugged even after April. We've gone in there and cleaned and cleaned and cleaned,” Cabauatan said.
Even though we saw clogged drains in August, Cabauatan says they should be cleared and repaired by now.
“Some of those drains did have not just sludge and grit in them, but they actually had chunks of concrete, broken concrete and larger pieces of aggregate,” Cabauatan said.
The city of Trenton also did their own construction work in September to disconnect their lines from the county drain that’s been blocked.
City officials say they believe that will also alleviate the flooding for the neighbors along 5th Street.
If you have a story for Heather Catallo, please email her at hcatallo@wxyz.com.