Road commission announces delay on Sharon Valley bridge

The east abutment has been completed, but the road commission has hit a snag on the west side abutment.

The detour on Sharon Valley Road between Lamb Road and Prospect Hill will probably be longer than originally anticipated.

The bridge replacement where Sharon Valley crosses the River Raisin was scheduled for completion early next month, but on September 19, a note appeared on the Washtenaw County Road Commission’s (WCRC) blog:

“Unfortunately, this week we have hit a snag in the replacement of the Sharon Valley Road bridge,” it reads. “While our contractor was constructing the west abutment (base where the bridge will connect), they discovered an unexpected artesian, a pressurized underground water pocket.

“We are currently evaluating all the options to minimize the impacts of the artesian flow, but this means that the project is now behind schedule. We are hoping to resume construction soon.”

The Mirror reached out to Kelly Jones of WCRC for more information, but at press time no response had arrived. Watch for updates on this article if an answer is received.

Meanwhile, the construction on the bridge on Austin Road, just past the M-52 intersection, is continuing with lane closures and temporary traffic signals. This construction is anticipated to last through mid-October.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.