Second bridge across canal being seriously considered

The Houghton County Board of Commissioners made waves last month when the group floated a trial balloon about a second span across the Portage Canal. Just this weekend, members Tom Tikkanen and Glenn Anderson reiterated that the idea is being seriously considered.

The two appeared on Copper Country Today and said both Representative Greg Markkanen and Senator Ed McBroom are open to the concept.

Tikkanen says that all options will be on the table for the steering committee, including the possibility of a tunnel. He pointed to the work Michigan Tech was doing in the Straits of Mackinac, consulting with Enbridge on embedding the Line Five pipeline below ground, rather than having it exposed along the lake bed. Tikkanen concedes a bridge is a more likely option, but he wants every potential outcome explored.

Tikkanen says the work on the lift bridge was the trigger for the exploratory process. The Michigan Department of Transportation has had at least one lane on the span closed since mid-summer. Significant backups occurred, stretching down US-41 onto Michigan Tech’s campus, which had its own construction project ongoing. Tikkanen says the traffic snarl could have proven life threatening in the worst case scenario.

A location for the second bridge has not yet been finalized, but Tikkanen and Anderson both agree that something near the Lower Entry, connecting Chassell to White City, is unlikely. Anderson says the state and federal government have a huge say in where a span would be placed.

Connecting two state trunk lines is possible to the south and east of the lift bridge. Tikkanen says any potential spot must help ease congestion in Houghton and Hancock, the region’s two largest cities. The Portage Lake Lift Bridge sees around one-million vehicles pass over it each year.

Tikkanen says he hopes to utilize money from the recently passed federal infrastructure bill to complete the project.