MDOT, City of Escanaba outline full reconstruction of US‑2, new railroad bridge and sidewalks

The Michigan Department of Transportation and the City of Escanaba presented plans on an MDOT-hosted public open house to fully reconstruct U.S. Highway 2 through Escanaba, replace a CN railroad overpass and add sidewalks, storm sewer and municipal utility work. MDOT said Phase 1 (from North Thirtieth Street by Menards to Ninth Avenue) is planned for 2027 construction, and Phase 2 (Ninth Avenue to Danforth, including a new railroad overpass) will be a multi‑year effort beginning in 2028.

The presentation described the project as a full‑width “gut” reconstruction rather than a mill‑and‑resurface because the pavement and underlying infrastructure are at the end of their service life. “We’ll be digging down about 3 feet and putting new layers of sand, granular and hot mix asphalt,” said Dave Bradley, design engineer at MDOT’s Crystal Falls Transportation Service Center. The work will include new storm sewer, water‑main work coordinated with the City of Escanaba, and aesthetic treatments funded in part by a Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant.

MDOT said the original pavement on the corridor dates to the 1930s and has been widened several times. The department is designing both phases concurrently so it can complete the overpass plans and begin the lengthy railroad permitting process. MDOT officials said they expect final plans for both phases by next spring, with the first phase to be bid roughly a year later for 2027 construction and the second phase bid the following year for 2028–2029 construction.

Project highlights presented include a new traffic signal at Twelfth Avenue near the fairgrounds to provide a pedestrian crossing, shifting an existing signal from Fifth Avenue to Sixth Avenue, new right‑turn lanes at Sixth and Third avenues, access‑management changes to reduce or consolidate driveways, and replacement of street lights and undergrounding of wiring coordinated with the city. The TAP grant will fund many of the non‑motorized and aesthetic items; MDOT said TAP work in Phase 1 focuses on filling sidewalk gaps and Phase 2 includes aesthetic treatments near the railroad bridge abutments and retaining walls.

Replacement of the CN railroad overpass is a key driver of the Phase 2 scope and cost. Bradley said the new bridge will provide a longer span to allow a continuous sidewalk beneath the railroad and will increase the vertical clearance by about 2 feet. “The under clearance is substandard now, but when it’s done…it’s gonna gain like 2 feet so it won’t even need to be signed as a low under clearance,” Bradley said.

MDOT showed renderings that include retaining walls with textured aesthetics and safety fencing where the roadway widening requires cutting into back slopes. Drainage work includes outlet improvements to move water toward Willow Creek and the use of leaching basins at curb inlets to reduce temporary ponding in low spots.

On traffic control during construction, MDOT described a directional detour approach that preserves at least one direction of travel on the trunk line at all times and maintains local access to side streets and businesses. In general terms, MDOT said westbound US‑2 traffic would use a bypass via Danforth and North Thirtieth, while eastbound traffic would remain on US‑2 through town; during winter months the agency expects work zones will be “buttoned up” and detours not in effect. MDOT added that contract specifications require maintaining access for emergency vehicles and businesses throughout construction. “No, no — the access will be maintained at all times; that’s always a contract requirement,” Bradley said.

County Commissioner Matt Jensen asked how emergency traffic to the hospital would be handled if a roundabout at North Thirtieth is later built. MDOT said that roundabout work would be coordinated separately and that traffic control plans for such intersections are designed to maintain emergency access.

MDOT staff noted the city is separately pursuing funding for a roundabout at Danforth but said that funding and approval are not yet secured. The presentation emphasized coordination with the City of Escanaba on extensive water‑main and sewer work; a city representative, Darren Pionc, was present for technical questions about the municipal utility work.

The agency encouraged property owners and residents to review plan sheets laid out at the back of the meeting and to follow up with MDOT Crystal Falls staff for location‑specific questions. MDOT also said it deployed traffic cameras and is using modeling and signal timing adjustments to reduce disruption during construction.

The presentation did not include votes or formal board actions. MDOT officials repeatedly framed several items (roundabout funding at Danforth, specific detour phasing detail, signal timing plans) as subject to later design refinement and separate approvals.