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For the holiday weekend, the Michigan Department of Transportation is attempting to mitigate the effect of construction for the wave of travelers expected. Unfortunately, that isn’t possible for the area’s high-profile projects. MDOT’s Dan Weingarten says that once pavement is tore up, it becomes nearly impossible to ease traffic restrictions.
MDOT is doing an unprecedented amount of work this summer. Fewer than ten projects are being left in place across the UP, but work on US-41 in Baraga County near Nestoria and Three Lakes, the culvert replacement over Peepsock Creek on Houghton’s east end, and Townsend Drive through Michigan Tech’s campus make the list.
Culvert work has detours or temporary traffic signals in place on M-26 between Ripley and Dollar Bay as well as Sharon Avenue being completed by the City of Houghton. Weingarten says MDOT work is on schedule and construction materials are easily obtainable.
That is in sharp contrast to the shortages in building supplies.
