Avon Bridge Replacement is 'Right on Schedule'

If you've spent any time sitting at the light at Avon and Livernois, the ongoing bridge reconstruction on Avon Road over the Clinton River is obvious.

A crater now sits where the bridge previously stretched across Avon Road. Dan's Excavating of Shelby Township is winning the battle of the bridge's destruction and reconstruction with men, machinery and cooperation from Mother Nature and her unseasonably warm weather.

Excavator operator and Peck resident Jeremy Molesworth was busy digging out the foundation for the future bridge on Avon Road Monday morning. Molesworth said he hopes to get about half of the new foundation dug out today – one scoop of dirt, rocks and clay at a time.

Right on schedule

Brian Olesky, Dan's Excavating Project Manager in charge of the Avon bridge construction, summarized the project status up this point with one word: fantastic.

"We’re right on schedule and we should be able to be open on the target date” of June 15, Olesky said.

Craig Bryson, public information officer for the Road Commission for Oakland County, shared Olesky's sentiments on the bridge's progress.

"The weather has been very helpful and allowed us to move right along," Bryson said. "If we had a more traditional winter it may have slowed things down, but right now the weather is certainly working to our advantage."

The weather isn't the only thing helping. Olesky says there are anywhere from 10 to 15 workers on site during construction, which occurs 5 or 6 days a week in 10 hour shifts (7 a.m.-5:30 p.m.).

Olesky warned of the possible setbacks associated with rising temperatures and spring weather – especially rain.

“Like anywhere in construction, tomorrow could be a disaster," Olesky said. "If the weather starts getting warm and doesn’t stay that way to dry the ground, the site could turn to mud rather quickly."

Bryson added that, barring the "storm of the century," the project should maintain its progress and remain on schedule.

What about traffic?

Initially, the biggest concern from the public regarding the bridge reconstruction was the increased traffic at the intersection, though Bryson said it hasn't been an overwhelming issue. He added that it appears most commuters seem to factor it into their trip or find a way to avoid the intersection.

"Amazingly, traffic seems to be responding better than we anticipated," he said.