Photo courtesy of InvestUP Rainy weather did not discourage a ribbon cutting on at the new Choate Road Bridge in Haight Township on November 25. State Senator Ed McBroom and State Representatives Karl Bohnak and Greg Markkanen were on hand to celebrate its completion . It iss part of early site work under the project’s Wetlands and Stream Permit, which includes road upgrades, stream diversion structures, planting nearly 20,000 trees, and establishing new wetlands.

ONTONAGON COUNTY – Highland Copper Company, in partnership with the Ontonagon County Road Commission, completed redevelopment of the Choate Road Bridge over Bluff Creek, according to a press release from InvestUP.

According to the release, the new bridge will also improve road safety and reliability for residents and visitors by reducing long-term maintenance and providing a more durable solution for both the creek and the community.

Mike Foley, site manager with Highland, said this project, in Haight Township, is important for the road commission because it’s a very low volume road that they probably wouldn’t have had the resources to put into it like Highland did.

“Secondly, we replaced five significantly undersized culverts with a 50 foot clear span bridge,” Foley said. “What that does is that it really reduces the velocity of the stream in that area.” It also makes it easier for fish and other wildlife access upstream from the bridge, said Foley said.

Because Highland Copper installed diversions in various areas for the Copperwood Mine Project, the ChoateRoad Bridge construction was part of that project. “This offsite project on Bluff Creek (Choate Road Bridge) is mitigation for that onsite work,” Foley said.

According to the InvestUP release, Highland Copper initiated early site work to meet the obligations of the Wetlands and Stream Permit as part of its long-term commitment to the region. In addition to constructing a new bridge, the work included site clearing, road upgrades and the construction of stream diversion structures as well as extensive sustainable development actions. These include

planting nearly 20,000 trees and establishing new wetlands.

The work is now complete, fully compliant with permitting and reflects Highland Copper’s commitment to advancing the project responsibly and ensuring a positive legacy that endures well beyond the lifespan of our mining operations, the release says.

“We are grateful to work with a company that’s invested in the community for the right reasons,” Ryan DeHut, manager of the Ontonagon County Road Commission, is quoted as saying in the InvestUP release. “It means a lot to see a partner who cares about developing responsibility by strengthening our infrastructure and protecting the environment. That kind of commitment makes a real difference for Ontonagon County.”

Foley said this has been an ongoing partnership between Highland and various road commissions.

“The project worked with the Gogebic County Road Commission many years ago,” he said. “It changed all the culverts on the road up to the mine site itself, south of Wakefield. They did that a few years ago.”

Senator Ed McBroom, R-Vulcan, who was present at the ribbon cutting ceremony at the bridge, is quoted as saying:

“The Copperwood Project represents the kind of thoughtful, responsible development that the Western Upper Peninsula deserves and is seeking. “For years, our region has been looking for opportunities that strengthen our economy without compromising the land and water that define who we are and recognize our heritage and experience. Highland Copper has shown a real commitment to doing this the right way. These efforts reflect a long-term, good-faith investment in our communities for generations to come.”