Major improvements slated for US-23 to include turn lane
The reconstruction of US-23 will be one of a handful of construction projects in Rogers City in 2003, and probably the one that will bring the most inconveniences for motorists used to traveling the highway. The Michigan Department of Transportation has spent several years planning for the $5.5 million in improvements. The project will consist of major reconstruction work from the US-23/M-65 junction, to the city limits of Rogers City, and then north to the Trout River bridge.
On Bradley Highway, the stretch of roadway within the city limits will see curb and gutter, drainage and sewer upgrades, and a middle turn lane from County Road 451 to just north of Third Street.
THE PROJECT is expected to start in April with Cordes Excavating beginning work on the Trout River bridge. The bulk of the construction activity within Rogers City is expected to be completed days before the Nautical Festival. But between April and the annual August celebration, there will be some delays, which will force motorists to temporarily change some of their driving habits. US-23 will be widened at the Trout River bridge and the deck will be reconstructed.
?THAT WILL probably get going first,? said Tom Hilberg, MDOT resident engineer from the regional office in Alpena. ?What we?re going to do there is maintain traffic with the use of a traffic signal. There will be one lane open at all times,?
Hilberg says a lot depends on the weather as Cordes Excavating also will be working on the drainage and storm sewers in Rogers City. Cordes wants to begin that portion of the project in May. ?We?ve had a pretty easy winter so far, but if winter extends longer, that could push the timeline back,? said Hilberg. The completion date of the entire project is October 24, but MDOT officials are hoping for an earlier finish.
THE COSMETIC changes within the city are expected to make the roadway look nicer, especially with the curb and gutter. It also will make it smoother and safer for travelers. ?Some of the areas have long open driveways,? said Hilberg. ?We?re going to curb those in, so they?re going to have 30 or 40 foot openings for access control. ?We won?t have traffic entering the road from just anywhere. We?ll control it with curbs and driveways. That also reduces accidents, when you have people accessing from the same point, not just accessing from everywhere like, it is now,?
One example the engineer gave was an open area near three restaurants on the west side of Bradley Highway. ?There?s no control at all,? said Hilberg. ?We?re going to control those drives with curb and gutter.?
HILBERG SAID the middle passing lane is a ?common treatment for areas like that (Rogers City), where there?s a lot of businesses.? He said with the passing lane, it should reduce rear-end collisions and motorists passing on the right. Hilberg said the three lanes should be enough for now. ?We don?t need any more lanes than that, for the next projected 20 years or more,? said Hilberg.
The drainage improvements will reduce the large puddles that form following heavy rain storms. Flag crews will control traffic in much of the 9.8 miles of roadway that will see a facelift. In addition to the US-23 project, Rogers City will see the beginning of the extension of the runway at the Rogers City Airport and the construction of a new road south of the Airport property, which someday will access the Industrial Renaissance Zone parcels.
