East Stadium bridges : All posts

with gallery: New Stadium bridges in Ann Arbor dedicated with special thanks to John Dingell

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood had just one suggestion for Ann Arbor officials as they ceremonially dedicated the new East Stadium Boulevard bridges on Tuesday.

"I do think the name 'John Dingell' would look very good on this bridge," he said with a smile. "I really do … so, mayor, I don't know how you make that happen, but I think it's a good idea."

WITH GALLERY: Ann Arbor's East Stadium bridges to be officially dedicated Tuesday

To formally dedicate the new East Stadium Boulevard bridges in Ann Arbor, national, state and local officials will host a ceremony 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Stadium bridges dedication ceremony set for May 14 in Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor officials are planning to hold a brief dedication ceremony for the new East Stadium Boulevard bridges at 10 a.m. May 14.

4 artists in the running for $360K public art project at Ann Arbor's new Stadium bridges

Four artists from across the country are competing for a potentially $360,000 contract from the city of Ann Arbor to create a new public art installation at the site of the Stadium bridges.

Members of the public are invited to meet the four finalists during an open house Monday at the Ann Arbor Senior Center, 1320 Baldwin Ave.

New report: 25 miles of streets repaved and 1,475 sidewalk slabs replaced in Ann Arbor in 2012

City of Ann Arbor

The report provides a summary of the major street projects that were done during the 2012 construction season using money from the city's street reconstruction millage.

WITH VIDEO: Ann Arbor's East Stadium Boulevard bridges officially open to traffic

Motorists driver over the newly constructed East Stadium Boulevard bridges in Ann Arbor right after the roadway opened for the first time about 4:10 p.m. Wednesday.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Automotive traffic immediately took to the newly-built structure, with many drivers honking enthusiastically as they drove across while workers who were still putting the finishing touches on the project waved back in acknowledgement.

4 p.m. update: East Stadium bridges opened for rush hour Wednesday

Cars travel across the newly rebuilt Stadium Boulevard bridges in Ann Arbor Wednesday after workers removed barricades.

Amy Biolchini | AnnArbor.com

• Previous article: Final countdown: New Stadium bridges hours away from opening in Ann Arbor

• Update: The bridges opened to traffic in both directions about 4:10 p.m. Wednesday.

The rebuilt East Stadium Boulevard bridges are now expected to open by the evening rush hour Wednesday, an Ann Arbor official said.

By 4 p.m. workers had removed heavy equipment and machines from the bridge and a street sweeper had cleaned the bridge deck. Pedestrians and bicyclists were using the bridge. The barricades were still in place, but workers appeared to be preparing to remove them.

Final countdown: New Stadium bridges hours away from opening in Ann Arbor

Related coverage: East Stadium bridges expected to open about 3 p.m. Wednesday

Pedestrians walk on the nearly completed East Stadium Boulevard bridges on Sunday during a special sneak-peek event held for neighbors. The two adjoining spans are expected to open to traffic Wednesday afternoon.

Daniel Brenner I AnnArbor.com

The opening falls on the exact date Ann Arbor officials had planned on having the bridges open to traffic when construction first started last November.

With Gallery: Ann Arbor Stadium bridges reopening a relief to all

After years of debates, complaints, and delays, Ann Arbor drivers will finally be able to cross the East Stadium Boulevard Bridges pothole-free starting Wednesday. Just about everyone around the city has had to dodge the bridges at some point over the past year. I, personally, made a few habitual turns and ended up facing a road-closed sign a number of times.

with gallery: Lower Burns Park residents enjoy first view of new East Stadium Boulevard Bridges

Residents of Ann Arbor's Lower Burns Park neighborhood could not have asked for a better day to celebrate the re-opening of the East Stadium Boulevard Bridges.

Under sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60s, about 150 neighborhood residents and their friends enjoyed a sneak peek at the new bridge, which is scheduled to open to the public Wednesday.

The neighborhood, which has born a significant amount of the inconvenience since the bridge reconstruction began in November 2011, enjoyed a relaxing afternoon of snacks and drinks at Rose White Park and the opportunity to be the first to walk over the bridge.

Arson suspected in fire that destroyed contractor's pickup truck in Ann Arbor

A fire that investigators believe to be arson destroyed a pickup truck owned by a contractor working on the Stadium bridges construction project in Ann Arbor, University of Michigan police reported.

Ann Arbor's new Stadium bridges taking shape but won't be open in time for U-M football season

A motorist drives under the East Stadium Boulevard bridge span over State Street on Tuesday afternoon. The project is coming along and the bridge is expected to be open to traffic on or before Nov. 14.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

But it won't be before the University of Michigan's first home football game on Sept. 8. In fact, the bridges are guaranteed to be out for at least the first two-thirds of the season.

'YOLO' message on road construction sign in Ann Arbor is short-lived

YOLO lived once, but its short time on a digital message board along East Stadium Boulevard in Ann Arbor has come to an end.

YOLO: Prankster reprograms East Stadium Boulevard road sign in Ann Arbor

At least one motorist has slowed to take a photo of a road construction sign on East Stadium Boulevard in Ann Arbor, carrying the acronym "YOLO."

Jeffrey Smith | AnnArbor.com

This story has been corrected to note that State Street is expected to be open to both north and south traffic by Wednesday.

Road construction signs in the Ann Arbor area have been reprogrammed in the past year or so with racial slurs, warnings of zombie invasions and now something more positive.

"YOLO," reads the digital message board along East Stadium Boulevard near Tappan Middle School.

with video: Ann Arbor Newshawks lampoon city hall with skits on council races, Stadium bridges, public art

The Ann Arbor Newshawks, three men who make up the area's favorite mock investigative news team, are back at it with their latest video lampooning city hall.

In their lead story, they contemplate the possibility of new faces joining the Ann Arbor City Council in 2012 and what new council members need to know.

with photo gallery: Stadium bridges project in Ann Arbor ahead of schedule thanks to good weather

The reconstruction of the Stadium bridges in Ann Arbor is coming along smoothly thanks to good weather, project officials said this week.

Michael Nearing, the city's senior project manager, said crews are between three and four weeks ahead of schedule on various project tasks.

Ann Arbor Bridges holding public meeting on construction updates

The Ann Arbor Bridges Replacement Project’s third public meeting will be held from 7-8:30 p.m. Thursday at the Shelter Annex at Burns Park, 1200 Baldwin Ave. in Ann Arbor.

Work on the $22.8 million reconstruction of the East Stadium Boulevard bridges in Ann Arbor began Nov. 28. Stadium Boulevard will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic through most of 2012.

State Street reopens for traffic near Stadium bridges project Tuesday

Drivers rejoice! State Street reopened to traffic at 2 p.m. Tuesday after being closed for two weeks and one day as a part of the East Stadium Boulevard bridges project.

With poll: How difficult do you find getting around Stadium bridges construction?

Construction crews work on State Street in Ann Arbor after taking out the Stadium bridges.

Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com

East Stadium Boulevard in Ann Arbor has been closed for a week and crews have already taken out the Stadium Bridges as they prepare to build new structures in their place. State Street is closed as well, although that’s only expected to last until Dec. 13.

Project manager on Stadium bridges: 'Super-sized jackhammers' will beat 83-year-old spans into pieces

Detour routes diverting traffic from State Street and East Stadium Boulevard are now in effect in Ann Arbor, and crews are preparing to demolish the Stadium bridges.

But what exactly is it going to take to dismantle two 83-year-old bridge spans made of heavy steel and concrete over the next two weeks?

Part of the answer: "Super-sized jackhammers."