Photo by R. R. Branstrom

ESCANABA — The City of Escanaba held its monthly construction informational meeting Wednesday, July 1, at city hall.

During the session, city staff and engineers from C2AE provided progress updates, took public comments, and fielded questions from local residents.

While the meeting touched on several city infrastructure plans, this report focuses strictly on the Ludington Street project for clarity

Officials announced that curb installation on the Ludington Street project has been completed between 9th and 14th streets.

The next phase of the project involves grading–reshaping and leveling the ground to create a stable base–in preparation for new sidewalks. The sidewalks will be poured in sections, starting at 9th Street and moving toward 14th Street. Concrete pouring is scheduled to begin July 13.

As of Wednesday, both 6th and 10th streets have been reopened to allow traffic to cross Ludington Street and bypass the construction zone.

Work has also commenced on the alleyways behind Ludington Street. This work was originally scheduled for completion before the Ludington project began, but severe weather in late April caused significant delays. If the alley work had been postponed until after Ludington Street reopened, it likely would not have started until October.

To minimize the impact on local businesses, the city chose to work on the alleys concurrently with the main construction. The alleys will be tackled half a block at a time.

While the overall project remains on schedule for a late September or early October finish, officials noted that extreme weather or unforeseen complications could alter the timeline. The milestones provided at Wednesday’s meeting represent best estimates, and specific completion dates cannot be guaranteed.