Houghton Police say one person was taken by ambulance following a two-car collision on M-26 on Monday. Houghton Police Chief John Donnelly says no one suffered major injuries, and one person was taken to UPHS for a medical check following a rollover accident in front of Dunkin Donuts. Officials added a vehicle attempting to turn left from the center lane was struck by a vehicle traveling in the right northbound lane.
Chief Donnelly says the intersection has been a problem area when traffic backups past the 5th street.
Pulling into 4th Street, 5th Street, Dunkin, that whole area. We have a lane of traffic headed northbound to go across the bridge that courteously backs up. That would be the left lane. And when people are trying to make that left turn, other people will create a gap to let that person through. But the far-right lane is not clear. People’s vision is obstructed by that line of traffic. – Chief John Donnelly, City of Houghton Police Department
At a recent city council meeting Chief Donnelly and City Manager Eric Waara shared Houghton is working with MDOT to identify several areas of the city traffic accidents have increased.
At one time of the day, it’s a five-lane highway that’s wide open. And at other times of the day, it’s so congested that 25 miles per hour is too fast. So, it boils down to the basic speed law. What’s safe for the environment right now. So, people can be doing the speed limit and be in violation of basic speed law. – Chief John Donnelly, City of Houghton Police Department
The well-known Yooper loop creates a unique flow of traffic. Chief Donnelly adds that drivers coming from M-26 and US-41 converge to cross the bridge. While drivers leaving Hancock might continue further on M-26 or follow the loop around to Montezuma Avenue/US-41. And when traffic volumes increase at different times of the day, the unique flow of the Yooper Loop can cause a variety of backups through downtown and for crossing the Portage Lake Lift Bridge.
We’re trying to work with MDOT to come up with some creative ideas to either stack those vehicles differently or more efficiently get people onto the bridge. Which is a chokepoint that keeps causing traffic backups. We have people coming from two different directions on US –41 and M-26 onto the bridge. Plus, they have to cross over traffic. US-41 crosses over the loop and continues onto M-26. So, there’s a lot going on in that loop area. – Chief John Donnelly, City of Houghton Police Department
Chief Donnelly says the largest factor impacting accidents around Dunkin Donuts most often happen when traffic volumes pick up for crossing the bridge into Hancock from M-26. If traffic backs up past 5th Street, Donnelly stresses drivers need to use caution when turning left and watch for vehicles traveling north in the right lane. Additionally, he encourages drivers traveling on the highway to abide by the 35 mile per hour speed limit. And slow down coming down the hill into town. If traffic necessitates drivers will need to keep speeds below 35 MPH.
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