BAY CITY -- Drivers are bracing for lane closures and congestion on a major Bay City thoroughfare. Construction began Friday on Salzburg Avenue from the west side of Euclid Avenue east to the Lafayette Bridge. Parts of M13 and M84 will be closed during the project, expected to last until early November.
"This is a stretch that really needed our attention and we're just glad we're able to come through and do what needs to be done,” MDOT spokeswoman Anita Richardson said.
Perry Tacey, owner of PT’s Auto Service on Salzburg Ave., said, “In the 28 years they've never done anything to the intersection."
Since 1985, Tacy said, he's seen the bridge and railroad tracks repaired a few times but not the road itself.
"The road is so rough out here, it beats the cars apart,” which is good for his business, he said, but a smoother road is good for everyone.
The work includes improving curbs and gutters, upgrading traffic signals and making sidewalks and ramps Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant.
Richardson said, “We're hoping that it's an improvement that will affect and benefit the entire community."
As long as customers are able to access his shop, Tacey said, he's all for an overdue road makeover.
Tacey said, "I'm glad to see that they're finally going do something - hope it doesn't take too long."
The project will be completed in phases so the whole road doesn’t need to be shut down. The first phase of the road is expected to be complete in April.
