Trains Magazine wrote:KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Reconstruction of two highway bridges near Kalamazoo has been delayed from 2019 to 2023 because of a disagreement between the Michigan Department of Transportation and Amtrak, the MLive website reports.
The 55-year-old bridges on U.S. Route 131 in Oshtemo Township cross over Amtrak lines. The construction project was postponed because of questions over Amtrak’s reimbursement for costs associated with design review, a Michigan DOT spokesman told the news organization.
“MDOT is very willing to reimburse Amtrak for reasonable costs to review the plans and specifications,” spokesman Nick Schirripa said in an email to MLive. “We do that with the other railroads that operate in Michigan. But the way the draft agreement is written Amtrak could charge MDOT with any cost they deem valid.”
Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said the company and state agency are exchanging revisions, and that it was MDOT’s decision to delay the project.
The bridge project is expected to cost $11.3 million. In the interim, the bridges are scheduled to be repaved and receive other minor repairs, and netting has been added to catch falling concrete.
