Longbridge Road opens after nearly 7-month closure.

– Oceana County Road Commission photo

Longbridge Road opens after nearly 7-month closure.

PENTWATER TOWNSHIP – After nearly seven months, Longbridge Road officially re-opened to traffic Thursday, Nov. 21.

Oceana County Road Commission Clerk Sandy Griffin made the announcement early Thursday afternoon.

The road had been closed due to flooding caused by record high water levels. The road commission received permission earlier this month from Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) – formerly the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality – to raise the road a foot higher. Since then, Hallack Contracting – contracted by the road commission – worked expeditiously to fix the road so it could be re-opened before winter settles in. The entire project came with an approximate $400,000 price tag.

Residents had to take a 9-mile detour to get to the other side of Pentwater Lake while the road was closed, causing major inconveniences and safety concerns.

A celebration for the road re-opening is set for Saturday, Nov. 23, at 3 p.m.

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