95.3 / 88.5 FM Grand Rapids and 95.3 FM Muskegon
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Blue Bridge to close on weekend nights, following reports of gunfire

Beginning June 9, the Blue Bridge will close from midnight to 6am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights until further notice. Pedestrians who need to cross the Grand River will be able to access routes on Pearl Street NW and Fulton Street W.

The Blue Bridge in downtown Grand Rapids will now be closed on weekend nights, following recent reports of gunfire in the area.

Beginning June 9, the Blue Bridge will close from midnight to 6am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights until further notice. Pedestrians who need to cross the Grand River will be able to access routes on Pearl Street NW and Fulton Street W. Late-night Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH) services provides public transit near the west end of the bridge.

The decision to limit access to Grand Rapids’ blue footbridge was made jointly by the Grand Rapids Police Department, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc and the City of Grand Rapids.

“We want to set the expectation early on this summer that the Blue Bridge is not a place for large crowds to gather in the overnight hours,” Chief Eric Winstrom said. “This is a proactive step we are taking as GRPD, DGRI, the City and other stakeholders work together to provide a safe and welcoming environment for residents and visitors.”

This move comes as detectives continue to investigate an incident in which a vehicle was struck by gunfire near the bridge early Sunday morning.

“We are reviewing video footage from multiple sources,” said Winstrom. “And while we are not ready to seek charges for the person who fired the shots that hit the vehicle, six arrests have been made in conjunction with large gatherings on the bridge over the weekend. We are focused on taking both enforcement action and preventative action to keep our community safe.”

Related Content