SEVILLE TOWNSHIP — The bridge that carries Lumberjack Road over the Pine River is being replaced this year under a contract that came in well below what the county’s engineers expected, according to Michigan Department of Transportation letting records.
The Gratiot County Road Commission says the bridge, between Madison and McGregor roads, is closed while it is replaced, with a project completion date of Oct. 30, 2026. Traffic is detoured on M-46, Warner Road and Blanchard Road.
MDOT’s results for its Jan. 9, 2026 letting list the job as a local-agency project, number 29000-220524, described as “bridge reconstruction including replacement with 36-inch x 49-inch prestressed concrete superstructure and approach work on Lumberjack Road over Pine River.” Nine contractors bid. The low bid, from Davis Construction, Inc., was $1,949,242.56. The engineer’s estimate was $2,806,943.05, so the low bid was 30.56 percent under the estimate, a difference of about $857,700. The second bid, from Grand River Construction, Inc., was $2,028,025.98; the highest, from C. A. Hull Co., Inc., was $3,028,361.76.
The letting sheet lists a start date of 10 days after award and a completion date of Oct. 30, 2026, the same date the road commission gives for reopening. The project’s bid proposal cites a state Water Resources Division permit for the crossing and prohibits work in the river between April 1 and June 30, a standard restriction that protects fish spawning.
The letting records show the bids as submitted and checked; they do not themselves show the award, the final contract amount or any change orders. A large gap between the estimate and the low bid is not unusual on small bridge jobs, but it is worth watching: the estimate is what the county planned around, and the difference stays available for other work only if the job finishes without major extras.
The road commission has not been asked to comment for this report. It is welcome to respond at contactus@gcwhistleblower.com, and its response will be published.