MDOT: Coldwater overpass not damaged after hit Thursday in Genesee County, plans to rebuild

GENESEE, Co., (WNEM) A frequently hit Genesee County overpass on I-75 will be rebuilt with an additional two feet of clearance.

Crews are monitoring and assessing the damage after it was hit by a garbage truck traveling on I-75 Thursday morning.

One side of the highway was closed while crews cleaned up garbage that spread across the road.

This isn’t the first time this bridge has been hit by something that was a little too tall.

Now, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) says that it has a plan to address the issue.

Jason Garza, MDOT spokesperson, said the Coldwater Road bridge at I-75 in Genesee County is safe after the most recent hit it sustained.)

“The bridge did not sustain any new damage,” Garza said.

Garza said that a residential garbage truck filled with trash lost part of its load early this morning.

“The truck was below the beams,” Garza said. “However, the trash was heaped up high enough to where it was not below the beams.”

Garza also stated that when the truck passed under the bridge, it basically took off all the trash really quickly that was heaped up.

The driver also kept going, according to Garza.

“There was garbage debris spread all over the freeway,” Garza said. “Obviously, that hindered traffic.”

Garza said the bridge has been hit a lot more than other bridges in the area, especially on the southbound side of I-75.)

“We were just down there Tuesday measuring from the last hit,” Garza said. “So, it seems like the frequency has increased here recently.”

Plans for a new bridge are set, according to Garza.

“It will be replaced in 2028 barring any kind of impact to funding,” Garza said.

It will have a clearance of at least 16-feet, about two feet higher than the 14-foot, one inch space in place today.

Garza said crews have been and will continue to perform a safety assessment every time the bridge is hit.

“Anything above and beyond that, other than just closing it,” Garza said. “There’s nothing we can really do until we fully replace it in 2028.”

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