The Ingham County Road Commission shut down a bridge Friday, after inspections revealed it was just too dangerous for cars to cross.

Inspectors say the support columns that hold up the Willoughby Road bridge have deteriorated so much that they had no choice but to shut it down immediately.

The bridge is on Willoughby between College and Hagadorn Roads in Alaiedon Township. It helps traffic cross Sycamore Creek.

That traffic is now being re-routed to Holt Road.

Inspectors knew the bridge was in trouble. Previous inspections showed the columns were in bad shape. They had limited traffic over the bridge to one lane, so only one car could cross at a time. They also reduced the weight limit of vehicles allowed to use the bridge.

It will be out for a while. The road commission can't afford to fix the bridge by itself, and says it won't find out if it gets state and federal funding to replace it until December.