Bridge work likely to last until November; Townsend Drive also delayed

Two US-41 construction projects are expected to linger well into the fall. The majority of the work on the Portage Lake Lift Bridge has been focused on the finger joints where the deck connects on the upper and lower levels. Michigan Department of Transportation Spokesman Dan Weingarten says repairs will shift to the exterior lanes soon and traffic will be unobstructed in one direction going forward.

It is looking like snow will be the limiting factor on the project with crews being forced to wrap up construction in November as winter settles in.

The Townsend Drive work will also be finishing later than initially projected. That includes another week of the detour through Michigan Tech’s campus on Cliff Drive.

After the detour lifts, construction should continue another three to four weeks.