U.S. 223 bridge closed as River Raisin floods

Residents of Blissfield are buzzing about “how to get across town” in the wake of Monday morning’s U.S. 223 bridge closure due to the extremely high level of the River Raisin. People on the west are looking for ways to get to the east side and beyond, and vice versa.
Following is the news release issued by Chief Dale Greenleaf at 4:30 a.m. Monday:

CLOSURE OF U.S. 223 IN BLISSFIELD

THE AUTHORITY OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE

DUE TO FLOODING, U.S. 223 IN BLISSFIELD IS CLOSED AT THE RIVER RAISIN. THERE ARE A LARGE NUMBER OF ROAD CLOSURES THROUGHOUT LENAWEE COUNTY DUE TO THE FLOODING. COMMERCIAL TRUCK TRAFFIC IS STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO AVOID TRAFFIC ON COUNTY ROADS. WESTBOUND US-223 TRAFFIC WILL BE RE-ROUTED SOUTH ON RIGA HWY FROM US-223 TO WESTON RD, WESTON RD WEST TO M-52, M-52 NORTH TO US-223. EASTBOUND TRAFFIC WILL BE RE-ROUTED SOUTH ON M-52 TO WESTON RD, EAST ON WESTON RD TO RIGA HWY, NORTH ON RIGA HWY TO US-223.

SOME ROADS IN OUT-COUNTY AREAS THAT HAVE WATER OVER THE ROAD ARE NOT MARKED. DRIVERS ARE ADVISED TO USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING ANYWHERE IN LENAWEE COUNTY. DRIVERS ENCOUNTERING WATER OVER THE ROAD SHOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH THE WATER. CURRENTS ARE HIGH AND THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL INCIDENTS OF VEHICLES BEING SWEPT OFF THE ROAD DUE TO THE STRONG CURRENTS.

LOCAL RESIDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO FIND ALTERNATE ROUTES.
STEPS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT REQUESTS FOR POLICE AND FIRE SERVICE WILL BE RESPONDED TO WITHOUT DELAY DUE TO THE ROAD CLOSURE.

A SUBSEQUENT PRESS RELEASE WILL BE ISSUED WHEN U.S. 223 IS RE-OPENED.

DALE A. GREENLEAF
Chief of Police
Blissfield Village Police Department