In 2019, the Michigan Department of Transportation plans to reconstruct a stretch of US-31 near Petoskey. Part of the highway runs along the edge of a steep slope, and the area is plagued with erosion problems. The 2019 highway reconfiguration will move part of the roadway so that it isn’t situated right on the edge of a slope. However, until then, MDOT needed a temporary solution to prevent erosion and protect the well-traveled highway. Enter Team Elmer’s.

The project involved building a retaining wall to stabilize the soils along US-31 near Petoskey, running from Winter Park Lane east to Beaubien Street. The work involved a minor traffic detour, but Team Elmer’s still spent most of the job working with an active highway on one side and a 20-foot hole on the other side. The tight workspace posed one of the primary challenges of the project.

Still, with hard work and a firm commitment to keeping the project on schedule, Team Elmer’s was able to complete work on the retaining wall in just over a month. To stabilize the roadway, Team Elmer’s brought in 500 yards of geosynthetic reinforced soil. The soil, combined with 908 square-feet of ready rock for the retaining wall, will help minimize erosion and keep this small but pivotal stretch of US-31 intact and safe for drivers until 2019, when MDOT goes ahead with the full reconstruction job.

In addition to the retaining wall, Team Elmer’s also provided 50 feet of water main installation for the City of Petoskey and did minor road paving work.

By the Numbers

• Ready Rock: 908 sq feet
• Geo Synthetic Reinforced Soil: 500 yards
• City of Petoskey Water Main: 50 feet​

Date Started: April 10, 2017
Date Completed: May 19, 2017
Self-Performed: 74%
Partners: Payne and Dolan