MDOT, contractor answer M-68 construction questions
by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor
Representatives of the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) hosted a well-attended meeting Wednesday evening at the Onaway Courthouse, as the state agency is ready to embark on a massive reconstruction project in downtown Onaway.
MDOT has selected M & M Excavating of Gaylord to complete the project, which is expected to start in the coming weeks and continue into fall. The completion date is listed as Oct. 14.
The plans call for reconstruction of M-68 (Washington Avenue/State Street) from 1,000 feet west of M-33 to 250 feet east of Ninth Street. The project includes road reconstruction, new storm sewer and water main, curb and gutter, sidewalks, street enhancements and a flashing beacon upgrade.
Many of Onaway?s business owners were in attendance to hear details of the project and how it will impact their day-to-day operations. The questions ranged from water disruptions, the status of the Fourth of July parade, to how the flow of traffic would be handled.
?The whole thing that got us here to today is there is a 105-year-old-water main that?s under main street,? said mayor Gary Wregglesworth, welcoming those in attendance and introducing MDOT officials. ?Our water tower project ? our 40 year loan is going to be paid off. There is a window of opportunity with a large amount of grant money (available). ?We are told it?s going to happen once every 100 years,? added Wregglesworth. ?It?s not going to be fun this summer, but it will be worth it when we are done.?
DAVID KRENTZ, MDOT delivery engineer from the Alpena Transportation Service Center, said work would begin on the north side of M-68 first.
Traffic will be maintained part width using lane shifts and intermittent daytime flag control. He said there would be unavoidable inconveniences for motorists and business owners, as well as temporary daytime water shut offs.
While the north side is closed, two lanes right up to the south curb will keep the traffic flowing both ways, but there won?t be any curbside parking during the duration of construction.
John Landrie, vice president of operations from M & M Excavating, said he?s been involved in many city projects. ?I take it upon myself, when we get close to a business, I talk to people. I find out what they need, and what we can do to help them, and what we are going to do to maintain access.?
Landrie said he worked on a similar project in Grayling. ?(We) shut down one side of the road, kept traffic going both ways, and kept people going into the businesses.? He?s also worked with in Petoskey, Sault Ste. Marie and Marquette. ?When we left those cities, they were happy with the way we worked with the businesses.?
?I know it is going to hurt for this construction season,? said city manager Joe Hefele. ?Like I said in a letter (sent to business owners and affected homeowners), anything that we can do to help any of you, any suggestions you may have as we go forward, we will do anything we can to help you out. I know the chamber of commerce will take the same approach.?
HEFELE SAID the project not only will be a huge improvement to the water system, it will be appealing to people from the community as well as visitors.
Regarding the streetscape, Hefele said ?we tried not to duplicate what everyone else has done. We want it to fit Onaway. The lampposts are as close as we can come to what was here in the 1920s.? The steering wheel motif will be reflected in the brick pavers, stamped concrete and flower planters.
During the question portion of the meeting, Onaway Motel owner Yolanda Harrison asked about the status of the Fourth of July parade.
Hefele said the city is preparing itself for an alternate route, because MDOT is probably not going to grant a parade permit in a construction zone. ?We?ve been discussing among ourselves, we?ve been discussing it with the chamber,? said Hefele. ?It could be M-211. We won?t be able to wait until the last second to make that decision, so those plans need to take place soon. I would say, it?s almost close to 100 percent that it?s not going to be the route everyone is used to.?
?How long of periods of time will we not have water for,? said Harrison. ?I own a motel and people like to shower.?
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The contractor also was asked their hours of construction operation. ?M & M as a company typically runs 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. five days a week, with the possibility of Saturdays.?
Landrie also said the progress schedule has them completing the north side by July 4, before starting work on the south side.
Construction is expected to start April 11, but that date is dependent on frost laws, and if the contractor can move equipment in. When there were no more questions, several people looked over the thick stack of plans and MDOT and city officials answered additional questions.