GROSSE ILE (WWJ) - Police are asking Grosse Isle residents to pack their patience and drive with care as frustration grows over the indefinite closure of the free bridge.
Depending on the day and time, backups from the one remaining bridge to the Wayne County island are stretching to Eureka Road in Wyandotte, or Sibley Road in Trenton.
Grosse Isle police say extra officers are patrolling the area, and they're asking drivers to exercise "patience and safety."
"It's not the end of the world," said Officer Dino Siakantaris. "Just wait in line."
One Grosse Isle resident, who did not wish to be identified, said his teenage daughter was cut off and "flipped off" by an adult as she was trying to get home from work.
Mary May, who works at the Marathon gas station across the street from the bridge, has been getting an earful on the issue.
"It's very sad," she told WWJ's Charlie Langton. "I heard from a lot of customers that the didn't tell them 'til late; they didn't realize it (was going to be closed). Even some of the guys that were working on the bridge."
Is the gas station losing business?
"Yeah! A lot of business, actually. A lot of business," May said. "It's kinda sad; I miss all my customers. My customers, if you're listening, this is Mary. I miss you guys! I mean...it's very slow."
Wayne County has not yet announced a re-opening date or even an estimate as to when structural repairs to the Grosse Ile Parkway Bridge, the proper name for the free bridge, may be completed.
In the meantime, residents and visitors are forced to use the Grosse Ile Toll Bridge, which connects the north end of the island to the mainland in Riverview, off Jefferson Ave.
"This has been a long going litigation on the island," said Grosse Isle resident Chuck Nagy. "We tried to acquire the toll bridge at one point through imminent domaine, and lost the case. So, we've been trying to solve this for some time."
Bridge operators say no toll will be collected when leaving Grosse Ile. However, double tolls ($5 cash or $7 credit per vehicle) will be collected to get on the island. One-way tolls are expected to resume once the free bridge reopens.
The free bridge closed Nov. 14.