Spanning nearly half a mile across the Detroit River, the historic Belle Isle Bridge is the only roadway connecting the city of Detroit to Belle Isle, a cherished Michigan state park.

After decades of harsh weather exposure, the bridge’s 19 concrete-encased steel arches—each varying in width and height—showed significant deterioration. The steel reinforcement had suffered advanced corrosion, making repairs essential to preserve and protect this iconic structure.

PULLMAN crews carried out concrete repairs and installed a cathodic protection system to prevent future corrosion. But with most of the work located beneath the arches and directly above the river, traditional access methods were not feasible. The team engineered custom barges with man lifts to safely and efficiently reach these challenging areas.

As the project progressed, the team faced another hurdle: the actual repair scope was 60% larger than initial estimates. Limited access during early inspections had hidden the full extent of deterioration. To stay on schedule, PULLMAN expanded its barge fleet from three to five and increased manpower.

Through careful planning, adaptability, and close coordination, PULLMAN successfully restored the Belle Isle Bridge, ensuring this historic connection between city and park continues to serve future generations.