WESTLAND (WWJ) — A road construction project that has detoured traffic on Merriman Road in Westland for nearly two years looks to be close to wrapping up.
Officials with the Westland mayor’s office tell WWJ Newsradio 950 the initial target was to reopen the Merriman bridge above Hines Drive in time for the Wayne County Lightfest — which begins Thursday — but it is now scheduled to reopen by Thanksgiving.
Merriman — which is used by many to access the Lightfest, as well as Detroit Metro Airport — has been closed since early January 2023.
The project was delayed when crews located a sewer and pieces of an old wastewater treatment plant in the ground.
That forced a redesign of the bridges over Hines Drive and the Middle Rouge River. There were also parts shortages that contributed to the delay.
The cost of the project went up from $8.6 million to about $13.5 million, according to a report from The Detroit News.
The Wayne County Lightfest — the annual holiday tradition featuring more than 100,000 lights and 50 animated displays along Hines Drive — will open with a ceremony Thursday at 6 p.m. and run through Dec. 24, closed every Monday and Tuesday.
Until it reopens, the only access to the Lightfest will be north of the Merriman bridge.
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