Courtesy Image This graphic provided by the Alpena County Road Commission shows the proposed reconstruction of the Bagley Street bridge over the Thunder Bay River in Alpena.

ALPENA — The Alpena County Road Commission is asking residents their preference for the timeline of the reconstruction of Alpena’s Bagley Street bridge.

The reconstruction project is set to begin next year, but Road Commission Managing Director Ryan Brege said the commission is considering two options.

Officials could close the busy bridge to all traffic for one year so the work can be completed more quickly, or spread the work out over two years to allow limited traffic on the bridge.

Ultimately, the commission has final say on which course will be taken, but input from the public is important in the decision-making process, because, no matter what, motorists will be detoured and delayed.

The nearly $7.5 million project will pay for an almost total revamping of the bridge. Brege said the deck will be widened from 37 feet to 79 feet, which will allow for smoother traffic flow.

“The existing bridge is basically too small for the amount of traffic it is servicing now, and it needs a lot of maintenance,” Brege said. “We will take the old, smaller structure, replace the piers, and widen the abutments. There are also going to be a shared use path on the east side of the road and a pedestrian path on the west side.”

Brege said the shared-use sidewalk will be 14 feet wide and perfect for bikes and such. The pedestrian sidewalk will be 8 feet wide.

Pedestrians “will be separated from traffic by crash-tested barrier walls,” he said.

Three areas on the shared-use path will jut out from the right-of-way to allow people to move to the side and view the river and scenery nearby. Brege said he thinks that feature will be popular for both locals and people visiting the area.

“Our goal has always been to not just have a functioning bridge, but also something that is attractive and multifunctional,” he said.

Brege said people can learn more about the project at alpcrc.org and use the contact email on the website to share your preference for the project’s duration.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.