# legalities of building a bridge



## freshwater drum (Mar 17, 2007)

my cousin bought some property in gladwin county and it is split by the tobacco river. in the spring when the water is high he cannot access the property on the north side of the river. he wants to build a bridge across the river so he can access the north side with his quad but isnt sure if he can. i dont know either but told him i would throw a post up here to try and find out some info. anybody know anything about this kind of situation? thanks in advance.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

Dont get caught, They will never allow it.


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## football12 (Dec 3, 2009)

Hmm, we didnt ask we built its been 20 years, grandfathered now lol


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## freshwater drum (Mar 17, 2007)

swampbuck said:


> Dont get caught, They will never allow it.


im sure he would get caught. he has already had a neighbor offer to sell him an easement thru his neighboring property on the other side of the river. i told to him check with deq, it never hurts. i dont se what the deal is as long as he isnt putting anything in the riverbed and it doesnt interfere with canoeist. the spot he as looking at building it would put it at least 8 or 10 ft over the river, kinda in a high spot on the banks.


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## tedshunter (Dec 27, 2004)

My ex-inlaws hnighbors in the U.P. had a simliar situation.Their property was on the other side of the river so my ex inlaws gave them easement on thier property to access the river.What they did was installed a wire cable across the river attached to somme 4x4's then built a floating raft and they would pull themselves across the river on the raft.Now this was a smaller stream that this was on.It should work for what you are talking about as long as the river is not flowing too fast.Plus it should be lagal as long as the cable is high enough off the water so it does not impede with canoe's or fisherman.


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

freshwater drum said:


> im sure he would get caught. he has already had a neighbor offer to sell him an easement thru his neighboring property on the other side of the river. i told to him check with deq, it never hurts. i dont se what the deal is as long as he isnt putting anything in the riverbed and it doesnt interfere with canoeist. the spot he as looking at building it would put it at least 8 or 10 ft over the river, kinda in a high spot on the banks.


DEQ is the right place to ask. I have seen them authorize permits for bridges and for passages across a river through the riverbed. Depends on the location. It seems to me that bridges usually have to be built to a particular elevation level for that particular section of stream.


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## Big Frank 25 (Feb 21, 2002)

http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(yp...eg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-280-580

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/som/Directory_DNRE_342402_7.pdf

Pg. 78. I think. 
Good luck!


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## freshwater drum (Mar 17, 2007)

Big Frank 25 said:


> http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(yp...eg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectname=mcl-280-580
> 
> http://www.michigan.gov/documents/som/Directory_DNRE_342402_7.pdf
> 
> ...


thanks for the info. i will pass it on to him.


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## Ken Martin (Sep 30, 2003)

Bridges are much easier to get a permit for than other means like a culvert.

Ken


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## Flyhack (Jul 12, 2009)

Ken Martin said:


> Bridges are much easier to get a permit for than other means like a culvert.
> 
> Ken


I can agree. The permit is not a big deal. The design that meets the requirements can be significant along with the cost of construction. Clearance over the water and setback from the banks can turn a simple creek crossing into a half a million dollar civil engineering project quickly.


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