Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
ALTERNATIVE DETOUR routes for the upcoming U.S. 2 construction are shown on this map provided by a partnership between the Michigan Department of Transportation, Ironwood Chamber of Commerce and the city of Ironwood.
IRONWOOD - The Ironwood Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the city and Michigan Department of Transportation to propose alternate detour routes through the city for the U.S. 2 construction project.
Peter Grewe, chamber president, said the alternate routes will work hand-in-hand with the existing detour and direct people through downtown and out to U.S. 2 as well.
"As the chamber of commerce, we're invested in the businesses in Ironwood," he said.
Grewe said the chamber was concerned that businesses along U.S. 2 would lose access to customers because of the construction. He also said the chamber was concerned people living along the current detour would have their quality of life impacted.
The current detour leads eastbound U.S. 2 traffic south on U.S. 51 through Hurley, then east along McLeod Avenue through Ironwood. Traffic is then routed north on Lake Street and back to U.S. 2.
"We felt putting in the alternate detours would ease traffic," Grewe said. "It also sends people straight through our downtown."
The first detour directs drivers to Poplar Street east off of U.S. 51 in Hurley.
Lowell, Suffolk and Curry streets, off of McLeod Avenue in Ironwood, are all marked as alternate routes, leading motorists to various businesses on U.S. 2.
The alternate routes allow travelers to see some of the culture of Ironwood, such as the Miners Mural, the historic theater or the high school, Grewe said.
The chamber is preparing signage this week that will coordinate with Michigan and Wisconsin departments of transportation signs for the alternate detours.
Grewe said there has been complete cooperation among businesses, WDOT, MDOT and the cities of Hurley and Ironwood.
"This should be beneficial to both the downtown and the highway, and will ease potential traffic congestion on the McLeod detour route," he said.
The map can be viewed at the Ironwood Chamber of Commerce in the Depot, the Michigan Welcome Center, the Wisconsin Welcome Center and the Hurley Chamber of Commerce.
The map is also available online at ironwoodchamber.org.
