The 1941-constructed steel superstructure of the Cut River Bridge on US-2 remains, although the 1946 original bridge deck is gone as crews continue renovating the picturesque span Thursday, June 11. Wood forms are being added in preparation for the concrete pour of the deck and pedestrian walkway. Under the containment tent, crews are sandblasting rust off the steel structure. In the meantime, a section of road is barricaded and closed to vehicle traffic, bicyclists, and pedestrians. US-2 traffic is being diverted around the construction site along Cut River Road and Prater Boulevard. With the bridge deck and pavement removed, workers are now sandblasting corrosion from the steel beams and superstructure of the scenic Cut River Bridge, high above the Cut River gorge on US-2. The bridge, about 25 miles west of St. Ignace in Hendricks Township, is expected to reopen to traffic August 29.

The truss cantilevered bridge with extensive steel latticing is getting a new poured concrete deck, repaired steel, and a new railing.

Since April, barricades both east and west of the bridge have prevented traffic from entering the area near the 641-foot span. A detour of about 10 minutes takes drivers on nearby Cut River and Prater roads. Motorists, bicyclists, and hikers are asked to stay out of the barricade area.

Kneeling in the false floor area, Project Manager Pete Paramski poses with years of rust formed on the steel beams. The old concrete decking, now removed, blocked any work that could be done on the top portion of the beams. Mr. Paramski, a delivery engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation, works from the Transportation Service Center in Newberry. The Cut River Bridge, which is on US-2, is maintained by the highway department. Initially planned to be completed in the fall of 2008, the project was delayed last summer when engineers determined that steel reinforcement struts were needed to prepare the bridge for fixed-weight loads of construction equipment and materials that would be used once the deck was removed.

Work on the span this season is ahead of schedule, said project manager Pete Paramski, a delivery engineer with the Michigan Department of Transportation, stationed at the Transportation Service Center in Newberry.

Working with a treetop view, Gil Uithol of Traverse City constructs fascia boards on the north side of the Cut River Bridge. The 641-foot-long bridge is 147 feet above the Cut River, which flows into Lake Michigan. "It is a once in a lifetime project," he said. "I'll never be here to do this again. It has been very educational, a very historic project."

The new bridge deck is estimated to last about 40 years before it will have to be replaced.

Last year, crews worked from underneath the bridge, adding steel beams to strengthen the existing structure. The original floor beams are 25 feet apart and the new intermediate stiffeners were added 6.25 feet apart to help support the fascia beams, which run the length of the bridge on both the north and south sides.

This spring the deck was removed and workers now are repairing corroded areas by sandblasting away rust from exposed areas of the steel superstructure. Covered by the deck, those areas have not been accessible to maintenance crews since the bridge was constructed.

Barely visible between the steel beam superstructure of the Cut River Bridge, Daniel Nichols of Sault Ste. Marie stands on the false decking and vacuums sand and rust debris. He wears safety goggles, a special breathing mask, and protective clothing. Mr. Nichols, who worked on the Mackinac Bridge for seven years, says he loves the challenging work. Some 888 tons of structural steel was used in constructing the bridge, first opened to traffic in 1947.

Federal and state funds are covering the project cost of about $3.5 million. The original price tag placed on the project was about $3.1 million and the contract was awarded to Anlaan Corporation of Ferrysburg, said Mr. Paramski. The unforeseen steel reinforcing work done last year bumped up the cost.

This year, the project is back on track, with work scheduled in the original job contact, which includes the total deck replacement and cleaning rust from existing steel beams to repair corrosion. Those sections also are being painted to help prevent further rust, although the entire bridge is not being repainted. Seaway Pointing of Livonia is a subcontractor on the project.

The Cut River Bridge redecking project began last year, although work was halted when engineers discovered the 68-year-old steel structure was not designed to withstand the weight of fixed construction equipment that would be needed for the project. To rectify the situation, intermediate stiffeners were added and placed about six feet apart. The stiffeners offer more support to the fascia beam, which is the edge beam that runs the length of the bridge on both the north and south sides. With the concrete gone, false decking has been added to protect workers and to catch any debris from dropping into the Cut River or into the valley below the bridge.

A four-man crew works inside a large tarp enclosure that contains sandblasting dust and debris. Daniel Nichols of Sault Ste. Marie walks along the false floor installed beneath the deck beams, vacuuming up sandblasting material. He wears protective gear and clothing.

At left: Jeremy Zeitz of Gladwin is forming up expansion joints on the Cut River Bridge refurbishing project. The original bridge design includes sandstone walls. The architectural feature will not be changed. The walls are most visible by those walking down the path that leads to the river and the banks along the northern shore of Lake Michigan. A well-worn green binder filled with blueprints and job specifications is one of the tools Larry Biekkola uses each day. Mr. Biekkola is the lead inspector for the state highway department on the project and said he is impressed with the original construction of the bridge. On site every day, Mr. Biekkola now focuses primarily on inspecting sandblasting work and painting.

As progress continues on the bridge deck, a second crew works near the western entrance to the bridge, constructing a new drainage system to direct runoff using piping. The drainage system will be erected underneath the bridge deck.

Crews also are cons tructing forms for the new deck in preparation for the concrete pour, which is expected to take place in about four weeks. The concrete will average about eight inches thick. To help the concrete cure, the pour will take place at night, in cooler temperatures.

Looking to the east, with Lake Michigan visible on the right, this portion of the steel beams of Cut River Bridge deck has been sandblasted and repainted. Once the forms are complete, steelworkers will place rebar on top of the deck beams. About 830 yards of concrete will be poured in a sequence of eight separate sections. Finally, the east and west sections of US-2 roadway connecting the bridge will be rebuilt.

Crews will remain in the area until October 31, finishing the guardrails and cleaning up. MDOT will also resurface the county's Cut River Road because of the wear and tear when it was used as the detour.

The bridge, a popular tourist stop, is a favorite among local residents and hikers. A roadside park offers a picnic area near the bridge and a pedestrian walkway takes visitors down stairs and along a path to the northern shore of Lake Michigan, 159 feet below the bridge. The area also offers access to a network of hiking trails. The roadside park and trails are maintained by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

A false wooden floor replaces the concrete deck of the Cut River Bridge that runs parallel to Lake Michigan, which is partially visible on the right of the photograph. Working from west to east across the bridge, a four-man crew from Anlaan Corporation of Ferrysburg is sandblasting rust from the top of beams that have not been accessible since the bridge deck was constructed in 1946. Once sandblasted clean, the beams are painted.