A portion of the Bergland-Sidnaw rail-trail near Kenton in southern Houghton County will be closed starting March 31 so repairs and reconstruction of a bridge spanning the East Branch of the Ontonagon River can begin. The trail is a multi-use trail used by snowmobiles, ORVs, bikers and hikers. It is anticipated that the trail segment will be closed for most of the summer. Click here for a map showing the closure.

Snowmobile grooming on the trail will halt on March 31, as contractors are scheduled to start working on the project on April 1. There will be no extension of the snowmobile grooming season in this area.

The route will be open to the east and the west of the project; however, there is no feasible alternative route across the river. While there is an MDOT bridge adjacent to the rail-trail that crosses the river, the Department of Natural Resources reminds ORV riders that operating ORVs on State Highways, including the shoulders or unmaintained right-of-way, is unlawful and extremely dangerous.

Barricades and signs stating the bridge is out will be placed to the east of the bridge at the Forest Highway 16 intersection and to the west of the bridge at the intersection of an unnamed street adjacent to Riverside Street in Kenton.

The project is being funded through a $400,000 Federal Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Grant administered by the Department of Natural Resources. RTP grant funds are used exclusively for recreation development projects and cannot be applied toward non-recreation projects.

For more information on ORV trails in Michigan, visit the DNR Web site at www.michigan.gov/dnr, and click on Recreation, Camping & Boating.