Michigan Department of Transportation’s Fruit Ridge Avenue Bridge over I‑96 Rebuild and Modernization project constructed new bridges that created a consistent five-lane cross section, removing a major pinch point for southbound Fruit Ridge Avenue traffic. The project also reconnected the I‑96 eastbound exit ramp to the main road with a new signalized intersection.
The original two-lane bridge, built in 1961, had long created congestion at the interchange, as the eastbound exit ramp connected to a side street rather than directly to Fruit Ridge Avenue. The structure also lacked a connection between two regional trail systems on either side of the corridor.
Costing $35.69 million, the project added nonmotorized facilities on the new bridges and along Fruit Ridge Avenue, providing pedestrians, bicyclists, and trail users with a dedicated path separated from vehicle traffic. These improvements offer safer access to nearby trails, businesses, neighborhoods, and Walker’s City Central Park.
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