News - Ribbon cut on reconstructed US-2 in Ironwood

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                            MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2015 
CONTACT: Dan Weingarten, MDOT Office of Communications, 906-485-6322, ext. 136
                       weingartend@michigan.gov

 

Ribbon cut on reconstructed US-2 in Ironwood

Fast facts:
- Work on US-2 in Ironwood, the second phase of a two-year project, started in 2014 and finished last week.
- The two projects totaled a $14.4 million investment, including utility upgrades, sidewalks, lane widening and construction of a center left-turn lane.
- The westbound detour on Ironwood city streets was lifted today.

 

October 26, 2015 -- The City of Ironwood and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) celebrated the reopening of all lanes of US-2 in Ironwood today, bringing the summer's detour and a two-year reconstruction project to a close. 
            "It's been two years of construction with partial detours both years," said Mike Premo, manager of MDOT's Crystal Falls Transportation Service Center. "We partnered with the City of Ironwood and they replaced all water and sanitary sewer as part of the project. These were complex projects that involved total reconstruction." 
            At a ribbon-cutting ceremony this afternoon, officials marked the completion of the two-phase project, representing a nearly $15 million investment in Ironwood's US-2 corridor, a major western gateway between Michigan and Wisconsin.
            "The short- and long-term benefits of this project will be substantial," said Ironwood City Manager Scott Erickson. "This is a major facelift for the corridor. It's going to give a great first impression – not just of Ironwood, but of Michigan. We've already gotten a lot of positive feedback."
           Premo said MDOT appreciated the patience and understanding shown by businesses within the project zone during construction. The final product was well worth the wait, he added.
            "We're very satisfied with the work done by Snow Country Contracting (in 2014) and Hebert Construction (2015)," Premo said. "We worked very closely with the city's engineer, Coleman Engineering, to assure that we got a quality product for the public. Hopefully all are satisfied with the finished product." 
           In 2014, during the first phase of the two-year project, MDOT reconstructed 1.3 miles of US-2 in Ironwood, from Tourist Park Road to Curry Street. Work included utility upgrades, sidewalks, lane widening, and construction of a center left-turn lane at US-2 Business Route (Douglas Boulevard). The project's second phase this year involved reconstructing an additional mile of US-2 from Curry Street to Roosevelt Street. Work included utility upgrades, sidewalks and construction of a center left-turn lane at the Lake Street signal. The road remains at four lanes, with each lane widened from 11 feet to 12 feet.       
           Paving on the project was completed last week. While a few minor items remain to be finished, the detour was removed today.  

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 CAPTION: Ironwood Mayor Kim Corcoran prepares to cut the ribbon on the newly
reconstructed segment of US-2 in Ironwood today. All lanes of US-2 in Ironwood were
reopened today, bringing the summer's detour and a two-year, nearly $15 million
reconstruction project to a close. (MDOT photo)