Subcontractors hired by the City of Escanaba Water Department lay asphalt near Oven King in October 2025. The business often utilizes wordplay in its signage -- at the time, the words were coincidentally on theme with the scene outside. More road construction will continue in the city in 2026. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)

ESCANABA — This evening — Wednesday, Feb. 4 — the City of Escanaba is hosting an informational meeting to discuss the continuation and possible expansion of projected construction on Ludington Street and elsewhere that will take place this spring and summer.

Road construction on the far eastern end of Ludington Street and other areas of the city during the warmer months 2025 made it difficult to access parts of downtown, though sidewalks were mostly still open and road detours were available on neighboring streets. While people found the road closures frustrating, the ongoing projects — part of a larger effort to update aged subterranean infrastructure — are required and unavoidable.

This year, construction will continue; however, the reach is yet to be determined. As plans progress, informational meetings will be held on the first Wednesday of every month — as was done last year — to share openly details about the work with residents and business owners about which areas will be affected and how.

Tonight’s public information meeting will begin at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 410 Ludington St. City staff as well as staff from engineering firm C2AE will be on hand to explain aspects of the project and take questions from the public.

Work that is scheduled but still subject to possible change includes lead service line replacements on Washington Avenue, Ludington Street and much of Southtown; water main replacements around North 19th Street, South 10th Street, Eighth Avenue South and Second Avenue South; sanitary sewer line replacements, mostly in alleys; and a full streetscape reconstruction on Ludington Street.

At first, this year’s work on Ludington was supposed to just be from Sixth to Ninth Streets. Additional work from Ninth to 19th is in the planning and bidding stagehand is yet to be confirmed.

The public is welcome to attend the meeting at City Hall this evening.The Downtown Development Authority encourages businesses and downtown residents to attend in order to understand affected access and consider informational signage.