Major roadwork projects announced for Manchester, Chelsea, including work on M-52 from I-94 to Old U.S. 12

Chelsea and Manchester residents can expect to see a heavy dose of orange barrels this summer.

Kari Arend, a Michigan Department of Transportation spokeswoman, said plans are moving forward for a $3.52 million project on M-52 in Chelsea and a large-scale bridge renovation and other roadwork in Manchester estimated at $8.4 million.

Beginning in late June or early July, Chelsea residents will experience construction delays and lane closures on a 1.1-mile stretch of M-52 from I-94 to Old U.S. 12.

Ramp realignments will be done at Exit 159 on I-94, and ramp closures are eminent for a project that has an anticipated completion date of Nov. 30.

In Manchester, there will be deck replacement and abutment work on the bridge over the River Raisin, as well as reconstruction and realignment of the intersection of M-52 and Main Street.

Arend said an exact timetable for that project has not been finalized.

“We’re kind of pushing it back, but we’re still anticipating it to start later in the summer,” she said. “It might carry over to be a two-year project, but we’ll definitely have a public information meeting prior to the beginning of construction.”

The bridgework is scheduled from Austin Road to Dutch Drive over the River Raisin and there will be a northbound M-52 detour, where traffic will be maintained from Hibbard Street to the bridge with a temporary traffic signal.

Manchester residents will also see the fruits of a $735,000 MDOT Enhancement Grant this summer, with new decorative lighting, trash receptacles, benches and other streetscape elements on M-52 from Duncan Street to Chi-Bro Park and Main Street from Elton to M-52.
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As published in the Jackson Citizen Patriot on Dec. 8, 2010