Drivers crossing the Portage Lake Lift Bridge between Houghton and Hancock will face a northbound lane closure three days in a row, starting Monday, Oct. 19.
The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) will shut down one northbound lane of M-26/US-41 on the bridge Monday through Wednesday, Oct. 21, according to an MDOT press release. Crews will repair non-structural damage caused by high-load hits. WNMU reported the repair schedule on Thursday, Oct. 15.
The closures will be in place each day until approximately 3 p.m., MDOT said. That means northbound traffic heading from Houghton into Hancock will be squeezed into a single lane during the closures. MDOT’s announcement does not list southbound restrictions.
The bridge is the sole vehicular crossing between Houghton and the Hancock side of the Keweenaw Peninsula. More than 25,000 vehicles cross it daily, according to Keweenaw Report.
Any disruption on the span ripples through both communities. MDOT said the repairs are needed to maintain the bridge's operation.
The three-day project is separate from a much larger reconstruction effort. MDOT is evaluating whether to replace or repair the bridge's lift span, the section that raises and lowers to let ships pass through the Portage Lake canal. The department plans to share more details on that project in 2027, according to Keweenaw Report's Oct. 12 coverage.
If full-span replacement proves feasible, work could begin in 2028 and take two to three years, according to MDOT’s Aug. 20 update. Otherwise, repairs would likely begin in 2027 and finish in spring 2031.
Lane closures for the Oct. 19–21 repairs are expected to last each day until approximately 3 p.m.
