Be prepared for road construction all over the county

Roadwork is under way all over Cook County, so wherever you are traveling plan a little extra time as you may encounter slight delays.

Most noticeable is the work on Highway 61 in Grand Marais. Milling and paving is taking place on the west and east sides of Grand Marais, so expect delays entering the city.

The Broadway Avenue intersection is now open, but the highway by the Grand Marais Post Office and My Sister’s Place restaurant area are closed and/or allowing one-way traffic with a temporary stop light.

There is also road construction up the Gunflint Trail, from the Pine Mountain Road to Trout Lake Road. Work is being done by KGM Constructors to recondition and stabilize the road, followed by paving.

According to Interim County Highway Engineer Mike Tardy, traffic will be restricted to one lane, with a pilot car leading traffic through the construction zone.

Additionally, Northland Constructors of Duluth is constructing a bypass road at the Two Island River on Cramer Road in Schroeder. Traffic will be rerouted on the bypass during the double box culvert replacement, which is expected to take 4-5 weeks, weather permitting.

The Highway Department urges motorists to plan accordingly and drive with caution in all work zones.

The U.S. Forest Service has announced a related road closure. The Bally Creek Road in Grand Marais is closed during the day, not because the road is being worked on, but because the large trucks hauling fill for the other road projects are traveling that narrow, winding, forest road. For that reason, the US Forest Service has closed the road during the time of construction, generally Mon – Sat, 6 am to 6 pm.

KGM Constructors will turn or remove the signs when they are not working.

Access is still possible from the north to the Thompson Falls parking lot and from the south to the Cascade River Campground.

Culvert replacements will be starting in Grand Portage on July 14, so travelers on the east end can expect single lane traffic at some points. Workers are in the area now, preparing for that work.

As always, please slow down and follow directions of the road signs and flaggers.

WTIP Staff July 10, 2020