Avon Bridge Likely to Open By Week's End in Rochester Hills

The Avon Road Bridge over the Clinton River in Rochester Hills, which has been closed to traffic since February, will likely re-open by the end of the week, officials said Wednesday morning.

The opening could happen as early as Thursday, said Eric Wilson, chairman of the Road Commission for Oakland County.

Standing at the corner of Avon and Livernois roads, which is the epicenter of summer 2012 road work in Rochester Hills, Wilson and other state, county and local officials provided updates on four major road construction projects happening in Rochester and Rochester Hills this summer.

The projects total $18 million. 

"That's a lot of money, a lot of gas tax dollars being returned to this area," Wilson said. 

Avon Bridge

"Our plan is to have the bridge at least partially open by the end of the week," Wilson said. 

The bridge has been when it was torn down and rebuilt. It was found last year to be in an advanced deteriorating state. The bridge was first built in 1963 and was then widened in 1972. 

Avon Road is a main east-west route through Rochester Hills. 

Livernois Bridge

A free-flowing intersection at Livernois and Avon roads will be short-lived. The Livernois Bridge over the Clinton River is set to be torn up starting July 9. 

That bridge was also found last year to be in an advanced deteriorating state. It was originally set to be rebuilt in 2014, then moved up to 2013. Recently, happen this year. 

Work on the Livernois Bridge is expected to be completed in November.

Rochester Road

Main Street through downtown Rochester is on track to re-open to traffic July 20, said Lori Swanson, project manager for the Michigan Department of Transportation, which is leading the Rochester Road reconstruction.

After that, the Main Street Makeover project will continue until fall with many of the streetscape amenities being installed around town. 

Crooks Road

Work will begin in early August on the widening of Crooks Road from Star Batt Drive to north of Hamlin Road. Once a contractor is selected for the project, an exact start date will be set. 

The work involves the widening of Crooks Road from three to five lanes. The road will also be reconstructed, but not widened, from the Clinton River Bridge to Bonnie Brae Street. 

The $4 million project will be funded mostly through the Michigan Transportation Economic Development Fund. During the project, the detour route will be Avon Road to Adams Road to Auburn Road and back to Crooks and vice versa. 

Like the Livernois project, this one will be wrapped up in November. 

'Long-term gain'

Starting in August, two main north-south routes through Rochester Hills will be partially shut down at the same time.

Officials said they recognized the inconvenience but needed to move on the Livernois Bridge project before the bridge had to be closed down for safety reasons.

"I'm sure everyone will be very happy when both bridges are done," said Dennis Kolar, the road commission's managing director.

Rochester Hills Mayor Bryan Barnett asked residents for continued patience.

"It's short-term pain for long-term gain," Barnett said. When the intersection of Avon and Livernois is finished, it will be an "absolute treasure and gem for us," he said. 

Rochester City Manager Jaymes Vettraino said the road and infrastructure work in both cities positions the area to move forward with economic development. 

For a closer look at the road projects, see