The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) started repairs Monday, March 12, on the US-131 bridges over Cedar Springs Avenue in Cedar Springs.

Construction will include repaving, joint replacement, painting, substructure repairs, and approach work. The $1.9 million investment is scheduled for completion by Friday, June 29.

During construction, at least one lane of US-131 will remain open in each direction. Cedar Springs Avenue traffic will be maintained with a temporary traffic signal.

This work will extend the life of the bridges and improve motorist safety with an increase in surface friction.

To download a Michigan road construction map for 2018, go to http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_C_MapWeb-2011_350547_7.pdf.

Kristy Lynn Beemer

A driver going too fast on a country road has been charged in an accident that killed two people and seriously injured two others.

Kristy Lynn Beemer, 28, of Sand Lake, is charged with a moving violation causing death, a one-year misdemeanor, for the accident that occurred at Cedar Springs Avenue and Egner, Wednesday evening, October 16.

A 2008 Ford Taurus was eastbound on Egner and stopped at the stop sign at Cedar Springs Avenue about 6:22 p.m. The driver attempted to turn north on Cedar Springs Avenue and collided with Beemer’s 2008 Saturn that was southbound.

The backseat passenger in the Taurus, Kathleen Fernn Bitely, 88, of Bailey was pronounced dead at the scene. The front seat passenger, Herbert Donald Smith, 92, from Twin Lakes, was transported to the hospital where he later died of his injuries.

Beemer was also charged with a moving violation causing serious injury to her front seat passenger, Michael McBride, 30 of Sand Lake, and his five-year-old daughter, who suffered two broken legs.

According to Kent County Undersheriff Jon Hess, a witness had said that Beemer was moving at a high rate of speed, and that a “black box” inside the car confirmed it. “There is something in the car, kind of like a black box in a plane, that will tell you how fast the car was going when the air bags deployed,” explained Hess. “It was considerably higher than 55.”

Beemer is free on $100 bond.