City Officials Optimistic About Future of Veterans Memorial Bridge

City officials are optimistic about the future of the Veterans Memorial Bridge in downtown Portland, even as the historic steel structure remains closed to both vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

City Manager Andrew Dymczyk said he is confident the bridge can be repaired and reopened.

“We believe that we can receive the necessary funding and that we can fix the structural issues of the bridge,” said Dymczyk.

Bridges are inspected every two years by an outside, independent engineering firm. The most recent inspection identified structural concerns that prompted the city to close the bridge as a precaution.

“There are structural concerns associated with the bridge, so we have closed it out of an abundance of caution,” Dymczyk said. “The closure is due to the fact that one of the main beams under the bridge has seen a reduction in weight capacity. There is rust as well as structural degradation.”

City management met with city engineers Monday, Aug. 17, to discuss possible solutions. The city is now awaiting modeling information from the engineering firm that conducted the original assessment. Officials say the information will be valuable in determining the best approach to addressing the bridge’s structural needs.

“We are working diligently to find the best path forward,” Dymczyk said. “We want the bridge reopened as soon as possible so that the public may use the structure.”

Perhaps the most encouraging news is that some of the funding needed for the repair work has already been secured.

“Costs associated with repair will probably increase due to recent developments,” Dymczyk said. “But we are targeting a date of completion and reopening of the bridge within two years. We will do everything in our power to move up the date. There simply remain unknown factors that may affect the work to be done.”

The city is also working closely with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) to obtain the necessary permits for the bridge rehabilitation.

“We are hopeful that we can accomplish these things as quickly as possible,” Dymczyk said. “As I stated, we already have some of the funding we need, and we are highly confident that that we will secure the rest and work through the permitting.”

Mayor Jim Barnes shares that optimism.

“The bridge is a very important, iconic structure in our downtown,” Barnes said. “We will do everything possible to assure that the bridge remains a part of our downtown for many years to come.”

Portland Downtown Development Authority Director Tina Conner-Wellman also expressed a positive outlook while emphasizing the importance of keeping the bridge and downtown safe.

“We’re grateful that the city is taking the time to make sure that Veterans Memorial Bridge is safe,” she said. “The Portland downtown is, of course, open, and our businesses would love to see our residents there. Every visit to our downtown makes a difference to our quality of life as we work through this together.”

While the bridge’s reopening is currently anticipated for 2028, officials remain hopeful that the work can be completed sooner.

For Portland, the goal is not simply to repair a bridge, but to preserve an important and recognizable part of the community’s downtown for generations to come.