The Cost of Road Construction How far would you drive for your favorite local business?
By Jillian Manning Michigan is known for its four distinct seasons: fall, winter, still winter, and road construction. And while we put up with the delays and detours of construction season for its major perks—blue sky days, green trails, and finally-warm-enough waters— those orange cones herald more than just fresh asphalt for some local businesses. Road closures and detours can negatively impact NoMi companies’ bottom lines, especially for those who rely on tourist traffic. Taking a Drive The latest clash of cones and commerce is taking place on M-66. If you’ve driven the highway lately, you’ve seen “Road Closed” or “Bridge Out” signs approaching the stretch between Charlevoix and East Jordan. And if you’ve followed one of the two recommended detours, you’ve taken a 67- to 73-mile journey—albeit a scenic one—you may not have been expecting. On July 11, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) began a $1 million replacement project on the culvert that carries Monroe Creek (an offshoot of the South Arm of Lake Charlevoix) beneath M-66. The project is scheduled to last until Sept. 2. “During inspections, our maintenance staff have found separation in sections of the existing 72-inch steel pipe culvert in this location, which results in erosion beneath the roadway and some issues with settling, necessitating its replacement,” says James Lake, MDOT’s North Region communications representative. “We are replacing it with an elliptical 17-by-11-foot aluminum culvert, which is lighter weight to help avoid future settling and will improve the flow of the Monroe Creek.” Though M-66 is only closed to throughtraffic between Lord and Lacroix roads
where the culvert lies—roughly 1 mile—any traffic that is not headed for a destination along M-66 is rerouted along two lengthy detours. MDOT can’t route trucks and other commercial traffic down neighborhood drives or county roads, which means they have to stick to state highways. And with Lake Charlevoix hemming in the east side of M-66 and virtually no major roads available on the west, MDOT was forced to get creative. The first recommended detour takes you south on M-66 from East Jordan down to Mancelona, jogs west and north on M-88 to the top of Torch Lake, then puts you on US-31 until Charlevoix where you can meet up with M-66 again. All told, the full detour is 73 miles and 1 hour and 30 minutes, according to Google Maps. The alternate detour is only a little bit shorter. Southbound M-66 takes you to M-32, cruises near Elmira, hops onto US131 north to Petoskey, then follows US-31 along the coast through Charlevoix and back south onto M-66. This route is 67 miles and 1 hour and 23 minutes. “The detours are significant,” Lake acknowledges, “but that is because we needed to identify detours on state highways that are built to accommodate commercial vehicles.” The Grass Isn’t Greener The aquatic life might be happier with their new culvert this fall, but several nearby business owners are concerned the project will eat into their summer profits. “We have found that the pretty immediate impact has lessened our business by at least 50 percent,” says Paul Vermeesch, who co-owns Stonehedge Gardens with his wife, Cindy. Located 4 miles north of Lacroix Road on M-66, the rustic storefront is surrounded by blooming gardens, and the shop itself
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houses work from local artisans, homegoods, antiques, and specialty jewelry, making it a popular summer stop. “We’re a seasonal business, as most are up here, and these are the two busiest months of the year,” Paul explains, adding that July and August are where the business makes most of its operating revenue to sustain it for the next 10 months. But Stonehedge falls on the wrong side of the closure for folks coming up from the southern or middle part of northern Michigan, and even as far north as Petoskey, drivers are advised to avoid M-66 and take the detour instead. “We’re missing a lot of traffic for sure,” Cindy says. “There’s not going to be that drive-by traffic that we normally get.” She says she’s grateful that many locals know the back roads, but is concerned those who don’t will be deterred by the closure and that visitors to the area won’t know how to find Stonehedge at all.
Other affected businesses along the north-of-Lacroix M-66 corridor include Hungry Ducks Farm, Castle Farms, The Landing restaurant, and Otis Pottery, to name a few. Smack dab in the middle of the construction zone is Elm Pointe Park and Natural Area. The park is open, confirms the City of East Jordan, and the 59th annual Portside Art Fair remains scheduled for Aug. 6-7, though attendees might have to do a bit of driving wizardry to get there. The timing is tough for the businesses, but MDOT had some calendar restrictions of its own. “MDOT is not exempt from following the fishery restrictions that are established through different wildlife organizations,” says Brad Swanson, construction engineer on the project. “We knew that with a project like this, we needed to be out of the river by Oct. 1 for their requirements.” Swanson says that the 8-week timeline couldn’t have fallen before Memorial Day
