Houghton-to-Chassell Rail Trail improvements begin

Courtesy:  Michigan DNR

HOUGHTON COUNTY — The Department of Natural Resources announced beginning Monday, Oct. 27, improvements to the Houghton-to-Chassell Rail Trail will begin.

Improvement work will include brushing of five high-priority segments to remove overgrown brush and vegetation, which has created a safety issue due to poor visibility at major trail crossings while also impeding travel along the trail corridor.

The trail improvement work will be performed by a local contractor with an estimated completion date of Friday, Nov. 14. The work will take place between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday; no work will take place after 4 p.m. on October 31.

DNR trail standards call for a clear path of at least 14 feet wide by 10 feet high, while major intersections must be a minimum of 30 feet wide, tapering back to 14 feet wide over the span of 10 feet.

“We have identified some properties adjacent to the trail where landscape plantings have encroached on the trail corridor,” said DNR Parks and Recreation Supervisor Dan Dowdy. “Those properties have been omitted from this brushing project. However, landowners are encouraged to remove or relocate any plantings or landscape structures found within the trail’s minimum clearance standards to allow for current and future improvements.”

The Houghton-to-Chassell Rail Trail improvement project is supported by a Recreation Trails Program grant funded by the Federal Highway Administration.

For more information or updates about this project, contact Baraga State Park Unit Supervisor Dan Dowdy at 906-353-6558.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.