ISHPEMING, MI— The Marquette County Road Commission is doing its best to clear snow from any remaining roads that are blocked off.
Director of Operations and Maintenance Ross Olson says crews are having the hardest time in the KI Sawyer, Gwinn, and Little Lake areas because of high winds and narrow streets. Sawyer reported the U.P.’s highest snowfall total after this week’s blizzard, at around 54 inches.
Olson says the county has two truck-mounted snow blowers that are 30-plus years old. Both broke down. The commission had to rent a loader-mounted blower to help out on M-35 in Little Lake.
Olson says now that the snow has stopped, the problem is going to be higher speeds and tall snow banks.
“When the roads are bare and the speeds start picking up, and people are going faster, you need to keep an eye out for traffic pulling out of driveways, side roads. They can’t see the traffic, and it’s going to be a while before we get all these snow banks knocked down.”
Olson isn’t sure when all Marquette County roads will be cleared. Houghton and Alger counties have offered their help.
