The Michigan Department of Transportation announced on March 30 that it will begin a $2.2 million project to replace the US-23 culvert over Smith’s Creek in Cheboygan County, starting April 6 and continuing through July 31.
The project is intended to restore the structural integrity of both the culvert and the highway above it, with work including installation of a new box culvert connected to existing channel lining. A temporary bypass channel for Smith’s Creek will be constructed during installation, which may lead to significant construction noise at times.
US-23 at Smith’s Creek will be closed throughout the project. Vehicle traffic will be detoured via State Street and North Western Avenue, while pedestrians will use Todd Street, West First Street, and Littlefield Street as alternate routes. The investment is expected to directly and indirectly support 19 jobs based on economic modeling by MDOT.
The Michigan Department of Transportation manages nearly 10,000 miles of state highways, more than 4,800 bridges, thousands of miles of non-motorized trails and railroad track, as well as airports across Michigan according to the official website. The department has more than 2,800 employees working across seven regions and dozens of facilities statewide according to its official site.
MDOT’s responsibilities include maintaining M-, I-, and US-routes; overseeing bridge maintenance; rail services; public transit; aviation programs; non-motorized trails; and transportation safety standards according to its official website. Its mission focuses on serving people, communities, and the economy through transportation efforts according to MDOT.
Leadership at MDOT includes a director along with key executives such as chief administrative officer and chief operations officer as reported by its official site. Operations extend across all regions in Michigan with oversight over a wide range of transport infrastructure.
