Michigan: I-75 Rebuilding in Cheboygan County

Michigan Makeover

Challenge: I-75 through Cheboygan County is the main artery to Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula. Less beautiful is its 1950s-era concrete pavement. The aging road is susceptible to joint deterioration, particularly during extreme summer temperatures.

The Solution: With help from the federal infrastructure investment law, the I-75 rebuilding in Cheboygan County project is underway. It includes a total rehabilitation including pavement reconstruction, drainage improvements and guardrail replacements along a nine-mile stretch from Levering Road to US-31. The project will improve the driving surface and extend the road’s service life. It’s also expected to generate nearly 630 jobs for the local economy. If you travel up I-75 – a safer, smoother ride is just ahead.

What They’re Saying: “I-75 in northern Michigan has been the gateway to our communities and the Upper Peninsula since its construction in the 1950s, but it has far exceeded its service life roughly 70 years later. This project and others MDOT have undertaken are critical for maintaining those connections for business, tourism, and industry for future generations.” – MDOT North Region Engineer Scott Thayer in an email to ARTBA.