The Overview
If you drive through Fowlerville, the South Grand Avenue bridge over I-96 now has a new name: the LCpl Michael W. Hanks Memorial Bridge. Michigan's House Bill 4189 became law when Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) signed it July 21. Hanks, a Howell native, was killed in Iraq's Al Anbar Province on Nov. 17, 2004, during his second tour of duty. He was 22 years old when he was killed in Iraq, the Livingston Daily reported.
What the Law Does
The law adds a new section to Michigan's act consolidating the naming of state highways, officially designating the bridge on South Grand Avenue over I-96 in Fowlerville as the "LCpl Michael W. Hanks Memorial Bridge." It requires a sign at the bridge's approach on I-96 and directs the Michigan Department of Transportation to coordinate with the Livingston County Road Commission to place a designating sign at each approach on South Grand Avenue. A fiscal analysis found the law would have no state or local fiscal impact.
Legislative Status
Rep. Jason Woolford (R) sponsored the bill, joined by 23 cosponsors including Reps. Tim Kelly, Timmy Beson, Cam Cavitt, Doug Wozniak and Joe Pavlov, among others.
The House passed the bill 108 to 0 on June 4, 2025, and the Senate passed it 36 to 0 on July 3, 2026, with no opposing votes in either chamber. From introduction on March 6, 2025, to the governor's signature, the bill took about 16 months to become law.
State Rep. Jason Woolford wrote on Facebook that with HB 4189 signed into law, the bridge would be "a permanent tribute to a hometown hero." The Livingston Daily reported that the bridge was renamed the LCpl. Michael W. Hanks Memorial Bridge.
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