Popular Michigan bridge destroyed as river hits historic flood level

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – What was once a heavily traveled bridge in Michigan is now gone, after the Boardman River crested at historic levels, tearing the concrete structure apart.

The popular bridge in Traverse City was overtaken by dangerous flooding as the Boardman River surged over the bridge barrier, submerged the roadway and eventually destroyed it completely.

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Local officials said the popular bridge in Grand Traverse County that sees thousands of vehicles a day failed Tuesday night.

The dangerous combination of days of persistent, heavy rain and rapid spring snow melt across the Great Lakes region has triggered dangerous river flooding across Michigan and Wisconsin, resulting in significant infrastructure damage.

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Grand Traverse County officials declared a local state of emergency amid widespread flooding that has closed numerous roads and overwhelmed infrastructure, evident in the bridge failure on Beitner Road.

"We will have a long road of repairs ahead of us," Traverse County Road Commission said on social media, adding areas in the county located near creeks and rivers "will more than likely have water on the roadway."

According to the National Weather Service, the previous crest record at the Boardman River at Beitner Road near Traverse City was set in September 2023 at 7.03 feet. On April 14 at 2:15 p.m., the river crested at 7.91 feet.

Officials said the bridge at Beitner Park failed on the night of April 14, and, as seen in striking photographs of the destruction, the road is no longer passable.

The Grand Traverse County Road Commission has put barricades at Chums Corners and at Keystone and River Road, directing traffic away from the destroyed bridge.

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Traverse City is among several locations in northern Michigan experiencing their wettest spring on record since March 1, with rainfall totals nearly 10 inches above average.

Evidently, widespread damage is already underway, and recovery efforts will likely be delayed as the dangerous threat persists through the weekend.

Widespread Flood Warnings are in place across northern Michigan, including Antrim, Benzie, Crawford, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee, Roscommon and Wexford counties through Sunday, April 19.

According to the FOX Forecast Center, the primary driver behind this week’s flash flood potential is a stagnant area of high pressure anchored off the Southeast coast of the U.S., acting as a "moisture pump" that is funneling moisture-rich air from the Gulf northward into southern Canada.

This persistent stream of moisture will set the stage for repeated rounds of heavy rain through the weekend, with multiple storm systems serving as triggers for intense thunderstorms across the Great Lakes region.