Michigan Street Bridge opening July 1

STURGEON BAY - Just in time for the Fourth of July, Sturgeon Bay’s Michigan Street Bridge is opening to traffic.

Days before the opening, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will clear its equipment and the city will then do some final preparation and open the bridge on Friday, July 1.

“We’ll still have some painting and touch up work to do, but we can do that under traffic,” said WisDOT NE region director Will Dorsey in a release.

When the bridge opens, the original maritime schedule will be back in effect:

• Michigan Street Bridge - open on hour and half hour for recreational vessels, if needed.
• Oregon Street Bridge - open 15 minutes before the hour and 15 minutes after the hour for recreational vessels, if needed.
• Both bridges - open on signal for all commercial vessels.

The WisDOT says bad weather delayed the opening originally planned for Memorial Day.

The nearly $21 million project began in July 2009.