While one well-used road in Leelanau County is expected to reopen this week, another is closing.
The traffic blockages are leading into a busy June for projects on the county road system.
“We have several projects planned and we suggest people look to our Facebook page for information on how they might be impacted,” said Brendan Mullane, manager of the Leelanau County Road Commission.
Depending upon your address, you may not like what you see — at least until projects are completed.
First some positive news. The culvert on South Lake Shore Drive just south of St. Mary Church in Lake Leelanau has been replaced on schedule and Elmers may have repaved the stretch of county road by the time you read this story. The road had been completely closed since May 24.
Now the bad news. A major east-west road in southern Leelanau County that’s not named M-72 will close for several weeks while a series of culverts are replaced.
County Road 614, commonly known as Gallivan Road, will be out of commission for about a month starting this week, Mullane reported.
“That’s a big project,” he said. “It’s been a long time and it needs it. You can only chip and seal a road so many times before you lose that shape, that geometry, the good crown. It hasn’t been touched in decades, so you have to do it.”
Six culverts require replacing within the 1.5-mile project. “By the time you fix those, it’s more efficient just to close the road,” Mullane explained.
Drivers who normally head west from the intersection of Bugai and Fouch roads to meet up with Alpine or White roads should instead turn west on Hoxie Road.
Federal funds will pay for 80% of the $800,000 project because Gallivan is considered a major local artery for transportation; remaining monies will be drawn from Road Commission funds. J and N Construction out of Gaylord is the general contractor, with Elmers providing asphalt.
Although only affecting one lane of traffic, motorists are more likely to undergo delays from more than 30 miles of seal coat projects mostly concentrated within the Lake Leelanau water basin. Work is scheduled to begin June 10 with the timing dependent upon the weather.
The longest stretches of road to be recoated are also busy. They are Eagle Highway for its entire length, and Bugai Road from just north of M-72 to Bingham Road.
The Road Commission has released the order in which work will be performed. Crews will begin at Donner Road followed by Maple Valley Road, Pine View Road, Herman Road, Eagle Highway, Alpers Road, Popp Road, Co. Rd. 643, Co. Rd. 645, Eitzen Road, Gatzke Road, Hoxie Road and Bugai Road.
Not yet scheduled is major work planned for Cedar Run stream passages under Alpine and White roads. Mullane anticipates that the final price could hit $1 million, although funding will come from grants secured by the Conservation Resource Alliance and Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians. One benefit will be improved fish habitat for the trout stream.
Culverts will be removed and replaced with bridges.
“They will heal the ecology of the creek, and it’s good to get those passages fixed because they need it,” Mullane said.
