US 2 re-opens to traffic in Bessemer

By P.J. GLISSON

[email protected]

Bessemer — After two summers of detours that changed multiple times, U.S. 2 is now fully free to traffic as the Michigan Department of Transportation closes out its $10 million investment in rebuilding the well-traveled highway route.

The two-year project resulted with reduced lanes in the downtown area, along with tapering of the 5-lane highway on the east and west sides of town. New sidewalks also now line the downtown stretch with an added strip of grass — still growing — in between.

Dan Weingarten, the media representative for MDOT’s Superior region, said in a Tuesday phone call that the project covered 2.7 miles of U.S. 2 from Powdermill Creek on the west side of town to just east of Cedar Avenue, near Memory Lane Roadside Park, on the east side.

MDOT’s project occurred in cooperation with a utility upgrade paid by the city of Bessemer with help from a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“A lot of the work has been storm sewer, sanitary sewer and water main replacement,” said Weingarten. “That work is city work. That’s been done in conjunction with MDOT.”

He described the two projects as individual and yet “closely intertwined.”

Weingarten said that MDOT entered a contract with James Peterson and Sons (JPS) of Medford, Wisconsin, after which JPS enlisted 18 subcontractors.

City Manager Charly Loper explained on Tuesday that JPS addressed the highway utility work, while the city paid for the underlying water and sanitary sewer pipe. The Escanaba office of C2AE, an engineering firm, oversaw that installation for the city.

Loper stated that interior city streets — many of which also underwent utility upgrades and road construction — were contracted to Jake’s Excavating & Landscaping, LLC of Ironwood. C2AE also oversaw that work, although Loper added of the city’s lead man for the Department of Public Works, “Neal Nelson played a large role in the oversight, though.”

Weingarten, who said that traffic signals should be fully operational soon, reported further details of the MDOT work by email on Tuesday.

“We’re pleased that this project is wrapping up on time,” he wrote. “We think it’s going to bring some major benefits to Bessemer, beyond just a new, smoother pavement surface. As expressed by Weingarten, those benefits include the following:

--On the west end of the project, the road elevation has been lowered to greatly improve site distance for vehicles entering the highway.

--On a segment of U.S. 2, the lanes have been reconfigured from four to three, creating a dedicated center left-turn lane. This reconfiguration is expected to increase safety by reducing conflict points and giving drivers a protected lane while they wait to turn.

--Also, the road in this area now has a smaller footprint, allowing for aesthetic upgrades such as wider sidewalks and more green space.

--A main intersection, U.S. 2 at Moore Street, has been widened. Trucks will have more room to maneuver and will be able to make wider turns without striking the curb.

As of Tuesday, Weingarten noted that workers were still leveling pavement around manhole covers and installing signage and pavement markings. He said they expected by Friday to conclude that work, along with turf restoration and general cleanup.

He said that the application of new marking required, first, the removal of temporary marking — a process that was confusing drivers earlier this week.

Weingarten also addressed a complaint that was submitted during the public comment session of the Sept. 26 Bessemer City Council meeting. At that time, Bessemer resident Jim Favero told the council that MDOT had reduced the width of the U.S. 2/S. Peck Street intersection to a degree that he felt is unsafe and that is smaller than other intersections.

“The intersection was designed to match the existing width of the city street,” explained Weingarten of S. Peck Street. “As Mr. Favero observed, city streets widths vary widely.”

Weingarten further added, “Prior to construction, S. Peck Street had a very wide asphalt apron with no curb and gutter. The reconstructed intersection has curb and gutter to better control the angle at which traffic approaches U.S. 2. The reconstructed S. Peck Street is designed to fit within the narrow city right of way. Further, the curb and gutter better differentiates the street from the businesses on either side. Curb and gutter also better controls drainage.”

Favero’s complaint has been one among many from Bessemer residents, who are experiencing road construction fatigue, having spent the past two summers with multiple roads dug up and requiring a series of detours as work progresses from one area to another.

Northwoods Paving of Ashland, Wisconsin — one of the subcontractors for JPS — was finishing up paving at a few final U.S. 2 intersections on Monday.

Josh Dennis, foreman for that project, said his workers have faced no unusual challenges, but he understands that local residents are fed up by the process.

“We are, too,” he said, smiling. “It’s been a lot of hard work here.”

Dennis said his guys have been working “dark to dark” and added, “It’s been 6-day weeks to get it all done.”

When their work is complete in Bessemer, he said they will travel next to tackle U.S. 51 in Hurley for about one and one-half weeks.

After that, he said they will return to Bessemer to pave interior streets that now are being prepared by Jake’s Excavating. “I think most of them are in Yale,” said Dennis of the remaining roads they will complete.

Regarding the overall project on U.S. 2, Weingarten said he also was glad that, for the most part, the detouring “seemed to flow pretty well.”

Regarding MDOT’s overall responsibilities, he said, “It’s been a busy summer. We’ve had a lot of projects in the U.P.”

He also clarified that, while the city of Bessemer will continue its project on interior roads for a third year in 2023, the MDOT project is now complete.