Bridge relations reaching the boiling point in River Rouge

[mtburb]

I wonder if the person that lowered the bridge lost their job or just moved on to another.

What happened to her after the accident is to me unknown.

At least you got your Fort Street Bridge back.

[Dumpling]

If Jonathan Livingston is out there reading this - if someone is underemployed, needs
a mission, and wants to be a gull person - we can probably learn from the gulls many
things such as the state of the Lake Erie biome [[up until the Jefferson Bridge reopens).

I would approve, not everyone will [[have heard the term flying rats used).

[canuck]

If Jonathan Livingston is out there reading this - if someone is underemployed, needs
a mission, and wants to be a gull person - we can probably learn from the gulls many
things such as the state of the Lake Erie biome [[up until the Jefferson Bridge reopens).

I would approve, not everyone will [[have heard the term flying rats used).

A gullible person?

[Dumpling]

Definitely someone who can put up with all kinds of s**t! Not kidding! They could
make side change washing it off the cars and trucks there! But the gulls are
beautiful, and an occasional hawk and eagle will show up too.

[canuck]

Definitely someone who can put up with all kinds of s**t! Not kidding! They could
make side change washing it off the cars and trucks there! But the gulls are
beautiful, and an occasional hawk and eagle will show up too.

Yeah, not a fan of the by-product but I like the sight of birds too.

[Wesley Mouch]

I wonder if the person that lowered the bridge lost their job or just moved on to another.

Jobs like bridge operator are often patronage jobs. I wouldn't worry for them. Years ago, I remember a black Lincoln sedan parked at the bridge [[not sure, but I think it was Fort St.)

Their job is quite secure -- and if not they'll be moved to another job. Do not worry.

[lpg]

Jobs like bridge operator are often patronage jobs. I wouldn't worry for them. Years ago, I remember a black Lincoln sedan parked at the bridge [[not sure, but I think it was Fort St.)

Their job is quite secure -- and if not they'll be moved to another job. Do not worry.

Lol. No sleep lost.

[Downriviera]

What happened to her after the accident is to me unknown.

At least you got your Fort Street Bridge back.

Is the Fort Street Bridge really back though? It seems always in the up position with the road closed.

[ellsa]

Is the Fort Street Bridge really back though? It seems always in the up position with the road closed.

I think that is the design of the bridge...I drive through there fairly often and it's operational. Actually I haven't seen it in the "up" position yet.

[Dumpling]

The Jefferson Rouge River bridge repair is really looking good. The metal
mesh is there - not just the new frame - the construction crew lowered it
part way the other day. I think the bridge should be back in service before
Labor Day.

[[The gulls are thriving.)

[Don K]

Maybe the gulls were just sleeping.

They're pining for the fjords

[mtburb]

Finally the day is almost here!
http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/local-news/189545691-story

RIVER ROUGE, Mich. [[WJBK) - It has been three long years for a Downriver community who were forced to take the long way, every day. But finally, the Jefferson Drawbridge has been fixed!
A little more than three years ago the bridge was damaged when an intoxicated operator lowered it onto a ship. On Friday, the ribbon was cut and the gates were raised for the first time in three years as the bridge reopened.

It was May 2015 when a drunk operator lowered the bridge on top of a freighter. The movement damaged the drawbridge and it was disabled ever since. Until Friday.

At a cost of roughly $20 million, the repairs were finally complete as cars started moving across the bridge for the first time.

Mayor Michael Bowdler had said the city couldn't survive without people coming to downtown River Rouge and shop at the businesses. That was achieved with a flash mob of people coming down to frequent the shops. Every two weeks, 80 people would come down and spend their money to help keep the small businesses alive.

"Every small business in River Rouge and Downriver was affected by up to 10,000 cars. That [[road) goes through their shops, through their cities, Downriver every day. So, every business was affected. I got a business on the street i have been here for many years and my business has been down 50%. I just wanted to say Wayne county Executive Warren Evans - thank you for fixing our damn bridge," Bowdler said.

And the flash mob? They say they'll still head downtown to help keep small businesses afloat.

[noise]

Finally the day is almost here!
http://www.fox2detroit.com/news/local-news/189545691-story

I believe I crossed the bridge yesterday during the morning commute when I-75N was closed and flooding prevented us from heading up Schaefer.

[Dumpling]

The bridge is open, and more people are starting to cross over it now.
The two sides are different colors - the old side, brown; new, light gray.

[Dumpling]

This year's seagull chicks are mostly hatched but mostly under their
parents' watchful eyes. Sometime in the spring a couple of persons
in hazmat suits [[don't wear your regular clothing and expressions for
this mission) walked through the Detroit Marine Terminal seagull
rookery checking them all out. Right now would be a good time
to get the seagull crossing signs out. The young ones will probably
be out there being carnage on West Jefferson around the Fourth of
July. But overall the flock is doing really well. Check out the Zug
Island flare stack if you are near Zug Island at night. The seagulls
there have taken over a flying insect econiche [[maybe from the bats).

[O3H]

Just wait till we hear the concrete has to removed - and redone :-)

[Dumpling]

Seagull update - a multi-truck DWSD road work crew has been
cleaning up the seagull carcasses from Jefferson Avenue every
few days. Not so many young seagulls are using Jefferson
Avenue for their takeoffs and landings this year. Also the Detroit
River/ Lake Erie ecosystem might not have much botulinum
toxin in it so far this year which is a little unexpected because
the weather has been plenty hot.

What happens if there is this toxin in the ecosystem is that it
affects the seagulls when they eat aquatic organisms that contain
the toxin. They can be immobilized by it - and then if it doesn't
kill them on its own, the birds are killed if they are standing where
trucks and cars are passing through. Then if the carcasses are
not cleaned up other juvenile seagulls will cannibalize them then find
out the hard way that the botulinum toxin is still effective.

The seagulls have not been flying near the flare stack on Zug
recently. It could have been fish flies near the stack earlier
this year.

[Jimaz]

... Also the Detroit
River/ Lake Erie ecosystem might not have much botulinum
toxin in it so far this year which is a little unexpected because
the weather has been plenty hot.

What happens if there is this toxin in the ecosystem is that it
affects the seagulls when they eat aquatic organisms that contain
the toxin. They can be immobilized by it - and then if it doesn't
kill them on its own, the birds are killed if they are standing where
trucks and cars are passing through. Then if the carcasses are
not cleaned up other juvenile seagulls will cannibalize them then find
out the hard way that the botulinum toxin is still effective....

Last year's test results:

Dead seagulls near water treatment plant test negative for toxins, pollutants

[Tom Cooley, a biologist with the DNR's wildlife disease lab team,] and his team also tested the birds for infectious diseases, like Avian flu or botulism. Those tests came back negative, as well....

Cooley's initial analysis of the situation was death by population stress and too few resources for the young birds....

Creepy.

[RaumVogel]

Last year's test results:

Dead seagulls near water treatment plant test negative for toxins, pollutants

Creepy.

This is a prime example of what happens to humans:

Seagull couple living on the shores of a remote bay in the Atlantic hear rumors of "good pickings" in the city of Detroit and decide to migrate there.They settle down on the shores of the Detroit river,have children and occasionally fly up to the Eastern market for a fish head "vacation".
The area of the River Rouge and the downriver area in general proves prosperous for their offspring as there are many fast food joints with people eating in their cars and throwing them french fries out of generosity.
But times change and many humans migrate to the northern suburbs and there are less and less fast food joints but many more seagull mouths to feed in the downriver area.
Eventually many of them move on to other more prosperous places where there is a better quantity of discarded french fries and onion rings to choose from.