US-41 reopens at Santori’s Corner

At 9:40 AM Saturday, the City of Hancock announced that US-41 is open to all traffic again after a determination from the Michigan Department of Transportation. The road had been closed from White St. to Quincy St. since Thursday morning following a fuel tanker spill. Crews continue to do work on Ethel Avenue, flushing the storm drain. All drivers are asked to be cautious in areas where workers are still active. All detours have been ended.

Friday night, the Western Upper Peninsula Health Department reopened Portage Canal and recreational beach areas. The only restrictions still in place are for areas with visible sheen, a thin rainbow-colored film, across the water. Due to wind and lake conditions, the location of the chemicals can change quickly. Benzene, an additive to gasoline, has been linked to skin irritation, headaches, dizziness and other symptoms after prolonged exposure.

Houghton County’s Office of Emergency Measures says the sheen should still be an issue through next week. “The recommendation of both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) is to continue to monitor the gasoline sheen as the sunlight continues to aid in its evaporation. That is expected to continue into next week, depending on the weather. Mechanical methods of surface recovery used with heavier oils are not effective with the gasoline sheen. Chemical methods of removing the gasoline are not allowed on the Great Lakes.”