News - US-2 Escanaba River Bridge closure, detour set for Oct. 16-20

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                           MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2017
CONTACT: Dan Weingarten, MDOT Office of Communications, 906-250-4809
                       weingartend@michigan.gov

 

 

 

US-2 Escanaba River Bridge closure,
detour set for Oct. 16-20

  

 

 

Safety features:
- To maximize safety for motorists and workers, MDOT is closing US-2/US-41/M-35 at the Escanaba River Oct. 16-20 for bridge work.
- Closing and detouring the highway provides motorists with the safest route possible through the area during this period. It also protects workers.

 

October 9, 2017 -- Northbound and southbound US-2/US-41/M-35 will be closed at the Escanaba River Oct. 16-20 for work on the Michigan Department of Transportation's (MDOT) bridge project.

 

            The closure is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Monday, Oct. 16 and end at 6 a.m. Friday, Oct. 20. This closure is required for the removal of the old railroad bridge. In order to expedite the work and minimize closure time, crews will work at night. The nighttime work will potentially create bright lights and noise.

 

            During the closure, northbound traffic will be detoured via Delta County roads 426, 420, and 531, and M-35. The detour will be reversed for southbound traffic. Motorists should be patient and expect delays.

 

            To accommodate traffic and reduce conflicts along the detour route, Delta County Road 420 will be closed to through-traffic at the east leg of the intersection with Delta County Road 531. Also, Rivers 22nd Road will be closed between Delta County Road 531 and M-35. Law enforcement will be present at intersections along the detour route to improve traffic flow and reduce backups.

 

            Parts of County Road 426 are closed to oversized loads. Drivers with oversized loads should contact the Delta County Road Commission at 906-786-3200 Monday through Thursday to determine the most appropriate route.

 

            This detour will be the second of four planned detours for the replacement of the Escanaba River Bridge. The third detour for 2017 will be announced in the near future. The fourth and final detour will occur in spring 2018.

 

             MDOT is investing $20.5 million to replace both the US-2 bridge over the Escanaba River and the Escanaba and Lake Superior (E&LS) Railroad bridge over US-2. This two-year project will also include reconstructing and realigning 0.8 miles of roadway and replacing 3,000 feet of E&LS Railroad track. 

 

            Project map: https://goo.gl/vsPcST

 

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DETOUR MAP: