WALKER, Mich. (WOOD) — The Michigan Department of Transportation has given the City of Walker a grant which will be applied towards the removal of the Walker Avenue bridge.
The project will improve access to BISSELL Homecare Inc. based in Walker.
A railroad crossing will replace the bridge that currently exists overhead of the Marne and Coopersville railway. The project will allow the city to implement a four-lane road, which would help BISSELL’s traffic.
The bridge, which is weight-restricted and in need of repair, has prevented the growth of the BISSELL facility — it is too close to BISSELL’s sole access drive. BISSELL recently renovated their headquarters, a project that created 99 new jobs. The renovation was influenced by the bridge removal.
The Transportation Economic Development Fund grant will cover $1,770,000 of $2,950,000 — the projected cost for the bridge removal. The rest of the funding will come from the City of Walker.