ONTONAGON COUNTY, Mich. – With a number of local roads damaged or temporarily traffic-restricted due to recent snow melt, rain and flooding, Ontonagon County has officially issued what is known as a Local Emergency Declaration. The declaration, filed late Sunday evening, opens channels through which the county is able to request and receive additional recovery assistance from a variety of State and regional agencies.
Over the weekend, officials drove local roads to assess damage and determine the impact to roads, bridges and culverts. Although the situation continues to change due to weather and conditions on the ground, they estimate at least 15 county roads have been impacted in some way.
“We have two roads closed at the present time with another four that are restricted,” said Ontonagon County Emergency Manager Mike Kocher. “Crews are working to repair road damage and mitigate against further flooding from rivers and culverts, but it won’t all happen overnight.”
Kocher urges residents to be patient as crews and response teams work to bring roads back to normal while maintaining operational safety levels for both themselves and the traveling public.
Both Gogebic and Houghton Counties have issued emergency declarations. The State of Michigan has approved those and is expected to do the same for Ontonagon County.
