Repairs have taken place, things have been tested, and both drivers and boaters will be pleased to know that the Dyckman Avenue bascule bridge has re-opened for operations.
City of South Haven officials say that Strain Electric completed the bridge work last Friday, April 24th and city staff have reopened the bridge to normal boat and street traffic. The raising of the HPU cabinets, which contain the motors to operate the bridge, was done as a precautionary step to help protect the motors from the current and future high waters being experienced on Lake Michigan and along the Black River.
Strong winds out of the west and heavy rains occurred in late November of 2019 resulting in a surge in the Black River for a period of time. That surge caused the river to rise above the bottom of the HPU cabinet doors, which house the motors for the hydraulic system to operate the bridge. The cabinets are sealed and remained water-tight during that surge event, however staff said they would not advise relying on the seals for any prolonged period of time. Since that storm surge event took place, officials say that they have not seen the water rise to that level again, but fear it may do so during the summer or fall.
The repairs included fabrication of two stainless steel brackets to raise the HPU cabinets, re-installation of pipes and wiring, and energizing and testing the system. The total estimated cost of the repairs runs to $19,380.
The bridge is now operating on normal hours from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm. For more information on the bridge operation schedule, please see below:
https://cms3.revize.com/revize/southhavenmi/document_center/Public%20Works/Bridge%20Hours%202013.pdf
