Asphalt ho!
It's a coordinated effort between numerous parties to pave Escanaba's main street after months of construction. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Rollers work on the first layer of a new road surface near the Radio Results Network building yesterday. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A mail carrier glances toward the south side of Ludington Street where blacktop is appearing. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Truck after truck after truck.
The south (eastbound) side of Ludington Street was the first to receive a layer of asphalt binder on Wednesday. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
It's a coordinated effort between numerous parties to pave Escanaba's main street after months of construction. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Rollers work on the first layer of a new road surface near the Radio Results Network building yesterday. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
A mail carrier glances toward the south side of Ludington Street where blacktop is appearing. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
Truck after truck after truck.
The south (eastbound) side of Ludington Street was the first to receive a layer of asphalt binder on Wednesday. (R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press)
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ESCANABA — Steamrollers and assorted trucks made their way through Escanaba’s downtown on Wednesday to begin the much-awaited paving of Ludington Street. By mid-autumn, the main street should be open to traffic for the first time since spring.
The reason for such major construction was primarily to complete the state-mandated replacement of lead service lines, an order that followed the water crisis in Flint. The city took advantage of the road being torn up to also repair storm drains.
This particular project began in 2025, when the eastern end of Ludington was reconstructed. Pipes that had been in the ground for up to 130 years were replaced during the operation. This year, the city aimed to tackle another 11 blocks of the main street, and began milling pavement at the end of April.
Other streets in Escanaba have been closed at various points as water mains and sanitary sewer lines are also being replaced.
After four months of Ludington Street reduced to dirt and gravel — at times resembling a barren Old West town on which a tumbleweed would be at home –excitement mounted on Tuesday as the smell of tar filled the air.
“Oh my gosh, it will be life-changing to be able to drive and pull up in front of the restaurants and stores instead of parking in the back and hoofing it,” said Katie Smith, who was visiting St. Vincent de Paul. “I know a lot of people have just been avoiding coming to town.”
A few weeks ago, the city had announced that paving would begin on the 26th and last about six days from the 10th block of Ludington Street to 16th.
People were delighted when work began on time. Locals were abuzz, and following a year of poor sales and general chaos, business owners on the main street were recording the process with enthusiasm.
“Watching the paving process begin is an incredible thing,” Sara Papaik, owner of Eleven Ten Bistro, told the Press. “We still have a couple of weeks before Ludington Street will be fully open, but the end of this chapter is in sight.”
A Payne and Dolan traffic controller at the 10th Street intersection explained that the first layer going down yesterday was a “binder.” Two layers of lift will be placed on top and compacted to the right density with first a hot steamroller and then a cold roller.
Similar jobs are underway in Ishpeming and Kingsford.
After the stretch beween 10th and 16th is complete, work will hit the eastern portion (between Sixth and 10th Street).
“The new pavement and striping will be fresh and inviting, and for all of us downtown businesses, the new water lines, sewer lines and storm drains below ground (are) something we can have confidence in as business owners moving forward,” Papaik said. “It has been a challenging seasonb for everyone on Ludington — we’re excited to see people enjoying the downtown again!”