Houghton Pushes Ahead With Road Repair

With the first snowfall likely little more than a month away, the city of Houghton is doing what it can to prepare the roads to weather the winter season.

Houghton City Manager Eric Waara said crews were able to get their hands on some blacktop which has allowed some patchwork to be done at certain locations.

Despite the labor lockout, Waara said Bacco Construction was able to piece together a crew to resume the work on Montezuma Avenue, which has been restricted to one lane since the June flood.

Though the Michigan Department of Transportation has given the city the go-ahead to bid out the reconstruction of Dodge Street, Waara said it may be best to wait until spring.

With road work already a month behind schedule and no end to the labor dispute between the contractors and union workers in sight, it would be difficult to finish Dodge Street before it snows.

Waara said city crews will put in blacktop to make Dodge Street drivable in the meantime.

The city has also been working on paving Clark Street, but Waara said they city may need to close off Vivian Street at 7th Street for the winter.

He said the city may put in a cul-de-sac so vehicles can turn around where Vivian would be blocked off.

Waara said these are temporary fixes that should buy the city some time until more permanent work can be completed.