BRANCH COUNTY — Two more bridge projects were added to the Michigan Department of Transportation's Bridge Bundle Program for Branch County for completion in the next two years.

Removal of the closed Gower Road bridge will be bid in October 2023. Design to replace the Central Road bridge over the Coldwater River will be next year with bids projected for March 2024, according to road commission manager Jay Miller.

The permanent removal of Gower Road bridge is estimated at $500,000. The state plans to use part of $196 million in federal funding to remove what is left of the ancient rusting steel bridge closed over 15 years ago after a truck went through part of the flooring. Union Township will not be required to participate.

The estimate for the Central Road bridge is $1.97 million. This is more than replacement last year of the Angola Road bridge over the Coldwater River just around the corner.

Bids are set for next month on two projects. The major bridge replacement will be at North Marshall Road, where it crosses the S. Branch of Hog Creek.

State bridge inspectors forced the Branch County Road Commission to severely limit weight on the Marshall Road bridge just north of Girard to a maximum 14 tons. It was 50 tons.

Truck traffic, as the alternate route for I-69, and fire departments use the bridge. Both Tekonsha and Coldwater fire trucks serve the area. All their trucks exceed the recommended load limit.

Miller said with emergency repairs in 2021 there is no danger of collapse but continued heavy traffic will add to the damage of the wooded understructure.

The replacement of the bridge on Clay Road also is scheduled for bidding. The project on the dirt road between Girard Road and Union City will use cheaper box culverts where it crosses the Coldwater River in Union Township.Miller said he was happy to get projects moved up on the state replacement schedule.