Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
IRONWOOD MAYOR Kim Corcoran wields the big scissors at Monday afternoon's U.S. 2 reconstruction ribbon-cutting ceremony. Business leaders and construction workers join in the celebration on two lanes of the new highway on a rainy day.
By RALPH ANSAMI
Ironwood - Business owners who survived the city of Ironwood's two-year, $15 million U.S. 2 reconstruction project were thanked at a Monday dedication ceremony.
About 30 people, including numerous Hebert Construction, Iron River, company workers, were on hand for the ribbon-cutting on a soggy day.
Mike Premo, of the Michigan Department of Transportation's Crystal Falls office, said, "It's been a difficult couple of years for businesses." He said the $15 million price-tag was not only for construction, but for acquisitions along the two miles, too.
Premo thanked the Gogebic County Road Commission for allowing use of its roads for this year's detour and the Wisconsin DOT and city of Hurley for participating in last year's detour that led to the main McLeod Avenue route.
"This is one of the biggest public infrastructure projects we've had in Ironwood in many, many years," said city manager Scott Erickson. "This has been a huge project."
Erickson noted the new sidewalk along the highway has been tied in with the Safe Routes to School project to improve pedestrian safety in the city.
Mayor Kim Corcoran pointed out the importance of the sewer and water work that was completed in connection with the project.
"It's a pretty darn nice looking highway," she said.
Burying electrical lines, eliminating the overhead wires, is another benefit of the project, she said.
Corcoran thanked the many business owners and homeowners along Cloverland Drive for their patience and "understanding" during the two summers of construction.
City commission candidate Paul Grbavcich complained to commissioners at Monday night's meeting that the highway should have been opened on Friday, saying weekend business was harmed. Erickson said MDOT had planned a Monday afternoon opener, however.
The 2014 project extended from the Michigan welcome center to Curry Street, with Snow Country Construction, of Bessemer, the general contractor.
The four-lane highway was widened by four feet.
The 2015 project was from Curry Street to Luxmore Street.
MDOT was in charge of the two years of highway reconstruction, while the city of Ironwood was responsible for the sewer-water improvements.
With excellent summer weather, this year's project was completed on schedule.
