ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Residents have been concerned about a bridge over 11 Mile in Royal Oak. It’s not hard to miss the cracks and rust.
Local 4 received tips from the Help Desk and looked into what’s being done with the bridge.
Each year, Canadian National, which owns multiple bridges in Royal Oak, is required to conduct an annual engineering assessment of all of its bridges and overpasses, and the city has been told on multiple occasions that this bridge is structurally sound. The chipping and scaling come from cosmetic concrete that was built over the core structure.
The communications director of Royal Oak said that at the Royal Oak Commission meeting last September, the safety of the bridge was addressed by Jeffery Price, the manager of Public and Government Affairs for Canadian National.
“While [the 11 Mile bridge] may not look aesthetically pleasing, it is structurally sound and fully capable of safely carrying trains,” said Price. “The damage observed in the pedestrian area of the bridge is cosmetic rather than structural. While I understand that the appearance of the bridge is important, our foremost priority will always be safety.”
Having said that, Canadian National is planning to remove the cosmetic concrete this spring and take it down to its core structure. There’s no exact date for when that work will be done.
Local 4 received this story through the Help Desk. If you have a question or concern in your community, visit here.
