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Ionia County seeks $2.1M to repair 54 of 67 bridges and avoid closures, officials say
Summary
Ionia County requested $2.1 million for critical repairs across dozens of county bridges, saying inspections show many structures need preventive work to avoid closures and costlier full replacements.
Representative Gina Johnson’s office presented a $2,100,000 request on June 11 for Ionia County to perform critical repairs on 54 of the county’s 67 public bridges. County staff told the subcommittee that many bridges are deteriorating, and that repairs now can extend service life and prevent full closures that force long detours for emergency vehicles, school buses and farm equipment.
Linda Peek of the Ionia County Road Department said the county has pursued critical bridge funding previously and that some bridges have been on funding lists for years; she noted a Bell Road bridge that was closed in 2019 after repeated attempts to secure funds. Peek said targeted repairs such as waterproof membrane application, riprap to stop scour and girder patching can extend a bridge’s useful life at far lower cost than full replacement.
Nut graf: County officials said timely preventive repairs limit higher future replacement costs and maintain access for emergency response and commerce; they plan to prioritize the most critical bridges and use contracted bridge specialists for design and estimates.
Ending: Officials said they would issue RFPs and aim to perform repairs when seasonal constraints and permitting allow, and underscored that delays in funding inflate eventual replacement costs.
