MDOT discusses five-year plan, upcoming projects in Houghton
HOUGHTON — The Michigan Department of Transportation will make its way across the U.P. with a series of public meetings outlining its five-year plan this week. The first of three meetings to be held this week took place on Monday in Houghton, where MDOT officials also discussed some upcoming projects.
The spring construction season has begun in Ontonagon County with road crews making repairs to area bridges.
“For this season and the Western U.P., we have a lot of resurfacing type projects. One project that’s starting today is the Ontonagon River Bridge. That’s and epoxy overlay which is surface coating applied to the deck of that bridge to preserve the deck, seal the deck and provide a very durable wearing surface for years to come. There will also be some miscellaneous joint maintenance and patching on that bridge at the same time,” said MDOT Manager Rob Tervo.
Other bridge repairs in the Keweenaw Peninsula for this year include a maintenance project on the Portage Lake Lift Bridge, and repairs to the Eagle River Wooden Bridge. Upcoming projects for 2019 and 2020 include many resurfacing projects on US-41, US-141 and M-26. A major construction project is scheduled for 2021 in Houghton on Townsend and College Avenues.
“That’s going to be a reconstruction project where that pavement is going to be replaced. We’re adding a center left turn lane to College Avenue. And then Townsend Avenue in front of the university would be one lane in each direction similar to how it is on the east end of campus in from of Wadsworth Hall right now,” Tervo added.
Tervo reminds motorist to use caution when entering construction zones this season.
“It’s just going to be a busy construction season across the whole U.P. and we ask that people be patient, drive carefully, watch out for the orange barrels and give people a brake as you’re driving through those construction zones, and take a little extra time,” he concluded.
Other public meets are scheduled for Wednesday, at M-TEC Located at Bay College in Escanaba and another or at the International Bridge Administration, James McIntyre Conference Room in Sault Ste. Marie. Read more about the meetings HERE.