LAFAYETTE BRIDGE
Spicer Group is serving as Project Manager for the replacement of the M-84/M-13 Lafayette Bascule Bridge over the east channel of the Saginaw River, leading a specialized inspection and construction oversight team that includes HDR Michigan, Tyme Consultants, Soils and Materials Engineering (SME), and Greenman-Pederson, Inc. (GPI). Together, the team is providing project administration assistance, inspection, specialized mechanical and electrical bascule inspection, quality assurance testing, quantity documentation, and reporting from January 2024 through December 2026.
Originally built in 1938 and reconstructed in 1989, the Lafayette Bridge has faced decades of operational challenges due to structural and mechanical deterioration. After extensive studies and multiple emergency shutdowns, it was determined that full replacement was the most cost-effective and sustainable solution.
The new bridge, funded through a $73 million Federal Highway Administration Bridge Investment Program grant, will include complete demolition of the existing structure and construction of a three-span bascule bridge. The replacement design features two approach spans and a Scherzer-type rolling-lift main span, improving reliability and expanding pedestrian and non-motorized access.
Construction, managed through MDOT’s Bay City Transportation Service Center, began in spring 2024 with Spicer Group inspectors and technicians providing on-site monitoring throughout the process. The project also includes reconstruction of the approaches and roadway from Evergreen Street to Water Street, utilizing advanced materials such as high-performance geogrid and lightweight slag fill to address poor soil conditions. Once complete, the new Lafayette Bridge will restore a vital transportation and shipping corridor that supports more than 16,000 vehicles daily and serves as Bay City’s only regular non-motorized river crossing.
PROJECT INFORMATION
Location
Bay City, MI
Spicer Group Project Contact
Nathan Pfenninger, PE
989-225-3760
PROJECT PHOTOS
