MDOT continues cleanup from northern Lower Peninsula ice storm, Upper Peninsula blizzard

GAYLORD, Mich. - As temperatures rise and the sun returns to the Upper Peninsula and the northern Lower Peninsula, the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is working to support the efforts of crews reestablishing electrical and Internet services, as well as clearing roads of drifted snow and fallen trees following several days of winter storms.

Accumulating ice on trees, power lines, structures and roadways in a band crossing the northern Lower Peninsula from Manistee and Ludington to Alpena and Alcona left tens of thousands of residences and businesses without power, while overnight temperatures dipped into the single-digits, exacerbating conditions.

Further north, multiple feet of snow fell and were driven by gusty winds, causing blowing and drifting conditions and hampering visibility across the northern Lower Peninsula and across the U.P. M-28 in Schoolcraft and Luce counties needed to be closed as it became impassable, and several agencies needed to pull their plows from the road because of extreme conditions.

On March 17, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer declared a state of emergency for the area affected by the ice storm and blizzard, including Roscommon, Delta, Alcona, Alpena, Missaukee, Ogemaw and Wexford counties. The State of Michigan response to this emergency is being coordinated through the State Emergency Operations Center.

"As during the catastrophic ice storm in the northern Lower Peninsula last March, crews from all transportation agencies are working side by side to get roads reopened so that utility crews can restore power, supplies can reach stores and emergency services can assist residents," said MDOT Chief Operations Officer Gregg Brunner. "MDOT is grateful for the cooperation and support shared across jurisdictions."

MDOT maintenance workers from facilities in Kalkaska, Atlanta and Mio are working on state highways in their home and adjacent counties to ensure they stay open for movement of utility crews and relief supplies. They'll assist county road commissions, city public works departments, utility companies and emergency services wherever possible.

Despite snow activity and lost power across the Lower Peninsula’s west side of the state, crews from MDOT’s Mt. Pleasant, Reed City and Marion garages managed to provide staff support, snowplows and other equipment to assist in storm response with plans to continue efforts into the coming week. Staff noted the assistance they provided following the 2025 ice storm helped to expedite response times this year.

"We are glad to help, this could be us someday and I'm sure crews from up north would respond if asked," said Dan Winnie, Mt. Pleasant garage supervisor. "Our staff have been working hard all week to clear state and county roads."

Wexford County Engineer/Manager Karl Hanson said MDOT crews took over plowing state trunklines in his county (work his staff usually does under the state contract), then assisted in plowing and salting county roads as well following the storm that brought trees down with up to three-quarters of an inch of ice.

"MDOT helped right away on Monday, which freed up our crews to work on our system, and they've been helping pushing back downed trees and salting and scraping hard pack from our county roads," Hanson said. "Without them, we wouldn't have been able to get as many roads back open as quickly as we did. It's super appreciated."

County road commissions have been sharing assistance and equipment as well, such as the loan of snowblowing equipment from Chippewa County to Delta County, and staff from Clare, Gladwin and Arenac counties and MDOT helping out in Roscommon County.

In addition to conditions on northern Michigan roadways, the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) has also contended with blowing snow and accumulated ice falling from the bridge's towers and cables. Low-visibility conditions prompted bridge closures on March 13 and from March 14 through the overnight hours into March 16, with falling ice closures in between on March 14 and 19.

Drivers are reminded to check the Mi Drive traffic website for the latest lane restrictions and closures on state roads (I, M and US routes).

Chippewa County Road Commission sent a snowblower and crew to Delta County to help clear deeply drifted snow following the recent blizzard event. 

 An MDOT plow truck leaves the Wexford County Road Commission to help clear county roads following the winter storm and freezing rain event. 

An MDOT plow helps clear a local road in Wexford County following the winter storm and freezing rain event.