Road Work! M-55 to be repaved in Houghton Lake area

PRUDENVILLE – The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will begin a $6.1 million project to resurface nearly 10 miles of M-55 from US-127 through Houghton Lake and Prudenville to the M-18 junction.

The project, which is scheduled to start the first week of April, will replace concrete curb and gutter, and make improvements to pedestrian path accessibility. The roadway’s existing four- and five-lane configuration will remain the same after project completion.

MDOT also plans to line culverts and storm sewer pipes along this corridor as part of a separate $1 million maintenance contract. That work is expected to begin in May or June, and will be done concurrently with the resurfacing project.

The work will require lane closures and traffic shifts.

This project will include accessibility upgrades to the pedestrian pathway along the corridor, as well as new pavement markings. It will not include replacement of the existing sidewalks, which are designated as snowmobile paths, which are maintained locally. MDOT officials said the access points to the “sidewalks” will be refurbished in accordance with the specs of the American Disabilities Act.

Construction is expected to wrap up the first week of September.

Based on economic modeling, this investment in Roscommon County Roads is expected to support 101 jobs directly and indirectly.