State Rep. Cam Cavitt released the following statement Friday regarding the deterioration of the Orchard Beach Bridge over the Black River in Cheboygan. The Michigan Department of Transportation rated the bridge as “basically intolerable, requiring high priority of corrective action.” Cheboygan County officials have said the bridge is in imminent danger of collapsing.

“Orchard Beach Bridge connects first responders to the essential equipment they need to protect our communities,” said Cavitt, R-Cheboygan. “If this bridge fails, we’re not just talking about longer commutes and annoying detours. No bridge could mean longer response times for first responders and potentially, God-forbid, the difference between life and death in emergency situations.”

Replacing the bridge, first built in 1976, would cost an estimated $7.3 million. Cavitt met with State Sen. John Damoose, R-Harbor Springs, and local officials on Dec. 27 to explore additional state funding methods. MDOT included the bridge on a recent funding request to the federal government as part of a bridge bundling program.

“Our entire community has rallied around getting this bridge fixed,” Cavitt said. “I hope folks realize how important their voices are toward getting this project rolling. Every phone call or email to my office, to Sen. Damoose, a department, or our federal representation amplifies the huge importance of the bridge. This grassroots repair effort is a great example of successful community advocacy.”

###