Work on the US-31 bridge over the Grand River (Drawbridge) is scheduled to begin on Monday, October 27th.  Work will include repairs to a damaged section of bridge railing adjacent to the pedestrian path, and replacement of several of the grid deck panels.

• During the week of October 27th the ramp from 7th Street to northbound US-31 will be closed with the two thru lanes of northbound US-31 maintained in the center and left lane across the bridge.  During this time work will take place to repair the damaged railing along the pedestrian path.  The closure will be in place until approximately 3PM on Friday.

• During the week of October 27th, in additional the right lane closure across the bridge, the center lane of northbound US-31 will also be closed across the Grand River bridge beginning on Tuesday, October 28th at 8PM.  This closure will be put in place nightly for the remainder of the week beginning at 8PM each night and removed prior to 6AM.  During these closures all traffic on northbound US-31 will be maintained in the furthest left (median) lane.

• After the week of October 27th nightly 2 lane closures of northbound and southbound US-31 will be needed between the hours of 8PM -6AM to facilitate the removal and replacement of the deck panels.    All ramps at the M-104 and 3rd Street interchange will remain open for use during this time.  At least one lane of traffic in each direction will be maintained at all times across the Grand River bridge.

• A barge will be in place on the Grand River during working hours.  The barge should not impact navigational traffic, but can be relocated by notification to the Bascule Bridge Operators House if needed to permit navigational passage under the drawbridge.

The project should be completed in mid-November.

 

               

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SLFD Making a Difference

Brian Sipe

Fire Chief

Spring Lake Fire Department

 

 

Yesterday as I sat at my desk, I was startled by a scruffy looking gentleman knocking on my window wanting me to let him in the station.  These occurrences happen every so often due to having a locked facility and with sharing space with the Ottawa County Sheriff's Department they most often just want to talk to a deputy.  When I let the gentleman in the station I quickly realized he wasn't there to see a deputy.  You see, last week Thursday the Spring Lake Fire Department responded to a person unresponsive at a local junk yard.  Upon our arrival we found this person had gone into cardiac arrest.  We applied an AED and shocked him, inserted a breathing device into his airway to help him breathe and started CPR.  From bystanders we found out this patient had a substantial heart history. 

 

As I continued to talk to the gentleman at our station he wanted to pass on to our firefighters a thank you for all the work done at the incident at the junk yard and for as dire as this event was, we still make a difference.  I really appreciated his kind words, as would our men and women, but what struck me the most was the significance of his reason to be thankful.  This gentleman was not there for someone else, he was there for himself.  This gentleman was actually our patient last week and he was just released from the hospital.  Showing his appreciation was so important, he hadn't even had a chance to go home and shave yet. 

 

As with any profession, the question of "Why do you do that job?" comes up from time to time.  For me, and I think many in Fire/EMS would agree, it is this exact occurrence that provides the answer.  There is nothing more rewarding than to be able to shake this man's hand and know he will be able to continue to see his grandkids.  I am truly blessed to have the job I have and be part of such a phenomenal team of highly skilled people. 

 

 

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