Construction resumes on US 31 this summer.

February 19, 2019

Construction resumes on US 31 this summer.

#OceanaCountyNews

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

OCEANA COUNTY – Orange construction barrels will be back on US 31 this summer as three different Michigan Department of Transportation projects are planned, totaling over $3 million in repairs.

The largest project includes resurfacing the expressway from M 20 to Shelby Road for $1.8 million. It is tentatively slated to begin after July 4 and continue through September, according to John Richard of the Michigan Department of Transportation Communications Department.

Resurfacing US 31 from Monroe Road to the north Oceana County line will be done in June and July, totaling $979,000, Richard said.

Bridge rehabilitation and joint replacement work on US 31 on the Hammett Road overpass is also planned. There are currently no estimated start/end dates for the $242,000 project.

Business Route US 31/Oceana Drive in Pentwater will also undergo resurfacing by MDOT from the US 31 south junction to Wythe Street in the village. The $744,000 project will tentatively begin in March or April with a tentative completion in May.

Five miles of US 31 from Shelby Road to Polk Road in Hart was resurfaced last summer. The $10.7 million project began in May and continued through November.

Oceana Drive construction will be completed this summer. What was initially planned as a three-year project will now be completed in two years, said said Oceana County Road Commission Managing Director Mark Timmer. The project will result in total reconstruction from Pentwater River to Monroe Road. Last summer, the portion from the river bridge to Lever Road was tackled.

This year, work will be done from Lever Road to Jackson Road, along with the final phase (which was initially planned for 2020) from Jackson Road to Monroe Road. The total cost of the project is $1.8 million through federal, state and local funds.

“We will be doing the next two phases of Oceana Drive this summer – Lever to Jackson and Jackson to 1000 feet north of Monroe all as one project with a completion date of June 29, 2019,” said Timmer.

The project will entail crushing, shaping and paving 4 inches of asphalt, Timmer said.

The road commission recently announced several projects slated so far for 2019. Other construction projects are pending township approval. Related story here

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