By Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Overnight closures are planned on US-23 in the Fenton area this week.

The Michigan Department of Transportation implemented some closures and detours last week at the US-23 ramps at Silver Lake, North, and Torrey roads to complete bridge repairs.

This week, overnight closures are scheduled on Silver Lake Road and North Road from 8pm to 4am to accommodate bridge demolition. The whole bridge is not being taken down but portions will be demolished and then replaced. MDOT spokeswoman Jocelyn Hall tells WHMI the timing of the overnight closures was based on peak traffic volumes.

The closures are part of a larger $12.3 million investment in significant bridge improvements to 16 structures along the I-75/US-23 corridor through Genesee County. The project involves steel beam repairs, deck replacements and protective epoxy coating. Most of the work is expected to be completed this year, with additional epoxy flood coating planned for next summer.

Hall tells WHMI local commuters will likely find their own way around but detours are posted and the listed routes are good to follow because they’re deemed adequate to maintain the amount of traffic that would have been on the road previously. She said the detours for the ramp closures are generally less than 5 minutes so not a huge inconvenience but any time there’s construction on US-23 it creates a lot of congestion and frustration for drivers – adding in this case the listed detours are about as simple as they can make them.

Hall noted that MDOT consistently updates the MiDrive website, which has up-to-date information about projects and any closures or detours. That link is provided.