Lane closure for US-2 work near Epoufette starts next week

August 18, 2020 — Traffic patterns will change beginning Monday, Aug. 24, at the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) US-2 relocation project near Epoufette.

Starting next Monday, on the west side of the project in Epoufette, the contractor will begin constructing the tie-in point between the old and new highway alignments. Traffic at this location will be reduced to one alternating lane with a temporary traffic signal. Motorists should expect brief delays.

This work is expected to take approximately four weeks. Once it is completed, construction will continue at the tie-in points on the eastern end of the project, near the Heath M. Robinson Memorial Cut River Bridge. Traffic will be reduced to one alternating lane at this location using a temporary signal. This phase of the project is expected to last an additional four weeks.

MDOT is investing about $3.2 million to relocate 1.4 miles of US-2 from Prater Boulevard to just west of the Cut River Bridge in Mackinac County, moving the roadway up to 350 feet north, away from the Lake Michigan shoreline. Due to sinkholes related to the area’s geography, the roadway is settling. The project was planned for 2021 but was rescheduled to 2020 when evidence showed accelerated movement of the existing slope and pavement. More information is available on the project webpage.

Relocation of US-2 will ensure that safety and mobility are maintained for this important Upper Peninsula corridor.