Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Traffic moves eastbound on U.S. 2 through Ironwood at the Douglas Boulevard intersection for the first time since late May Wednesday night. The highway, shown here looking west, was down to one westbound lane all summer as Michigan Department of Transportation and local construction crews worked on the road from Curry Street to the west end of town.
IRONWOOD –– U.S. 2 is open again.
Phase 1 of the $7.5 million U.S. 2 project that began in May is nearly completed, at least for this year.
"We're happy to see this major project nearing a successful completion," Mike Premo, manager of the Michigan Department of Transportation's Crystal Falls transportation service center, said. "We realize it caused a significant impact on traffic in Ironwood this summer and fall. We appreciate everyone's patience as we wrap things up for the season."
MDOT expected the eastbound lanes of U.S. 2 to reopen later this week, however, the lanes were open as of Wednesday night for the first time since late May.
The 1.3-mile project, along U.S. 2 from Tourist Park Road to Curry Street, included utility upgrades, sidewalks, lane widening and construction of a center left-turn lane at Douglas Boulevard, U.S. 2's business route.
"MDOT, the city, the Ironwood Chamber of Commerce and the contractor for the project, Snow Country Contracting, of Bessemer, worked together to maintain access to downtown businesses throughout construction," an MDOT press release said.
Crystal Falls employee Dan Kari said some work will still happen next week, including sealing the storm sewers. Some temporary lane closures may occur as workers finish some parts of the project.
Kari also said, "sod work and driveway paving will continue this week and into next week."
In the next few days, detour signs will be removed along the detour route, which ran from U.S. 2 to U.S. 51, through Hurley's Silver Street and Ironwood's McLeod Avenue and Lake Street.
The press release cautioned, "As traffic returns to normal, motorists should take note of stop sign changes along the former detour route."
Stop signs at the intersection of McLeod Avenue and Suffolk Street will be replaced, but the stop signs originally at the intersection of McLeod Avenue and Lowell Street will not be replaced. This will allow traffic to flow through McLeod Avenue at the Lowell Street intersection, the release said.
The second part of the U.S. 2 project begins next year.
"In next year's second phase of the project, MDOT will reconstruct U.S. 2 from Curry Street to Luxmore Street in Ironwood," the release said.
