Flood Damage Ashland, WI to Houghton, MI

See Associated Press Video lower down the page.
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Flood Damage & Road Closures Lake Superior Circle Tour

Heavy rains damaged roads and bridges from Superior, Wisconsin to Houghton, Michigan on Sunday, June 17th. Circle Tour travelers will encounter single lane traffic on Highway 53 in Superior. If traveling on Highway 2 between Superior and Ashland, a detour will be necessary near the community of Ino (we suggest using Highway 13 as an alternate). Several alternative detours will be needed traveling to Houghton and further north in the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Highway 2 10 miles West of Ashland, Wisconsin

Flash flooding washed out U.S. Highway 2 at North Fish Creek, about 10 miles west of Ashland, Wis., on Sunday. Wisconsin Department of Transportation photo

 

road closures and suggested detours- click on map for larger view

Houghton-Hancock-Keweenaw Peninsula

Agate Street In Houghton washed out and the dirt and debree washed in to the Delta Upsilon yard covering the vehicles. (Gazette photo)

Dan Weingarten, MDOT’s communications representative for Michigan’s Superior Region, which includes Houghton County, reported to the Detroit Free Press the following four major areas affecting traffic travel:

  • U.S. 41 between the cities of Chassell and Houghton. It suffered major pavement damage and multiple shoulder washouts. The road was closed completely on Sunday but it has since been reopened and limited to one lane in each direction. U.S. 41 is the main road into Houghton and Hancock, so keeping traffic as open as they could was MDOT’s “top priority,” Weingarten said.
  • M-203 from Hancock up to Calumet. A large culvert on Swedetown Creek washed out completely and road is currently closed. There are other washouts in that area. If travel from Hancock to Calumet is necessary, U.S. 41 is recommended.
  • M-26 Keweenaw Peninsula. Mont Ripley, a ski hill in Hancock, had extensive debris that came down the hill and covered the roadway. There’s about a quarter-mile of the roadway that’s covered with the debris. The road is closed.
  • M-26 near Hubbell on the north east side of the road. There was another washout at Dover Creek, and the road is closed.