Garrett Neese/Daily Mining Gazette Drivers get a green light at a temporary Sharon Avenue light being used during College avenue construction. Houghton is looking at whether to keep the lights permanently, and what other improvements would be required as a result.

HOUGHTON – The temporary traffic lights on Sharon Avenue might become a permanent fixture.

Houghton is investigating whether to keep the lights after residents commented to the city about improved traffic flow. The lights were put up at several intersections on Sharon Avenue due to increased traffic from the official southbound U.S. 41 detour during College Avenue construction.

Some improvements might be needed if the city keeps them long-term. Waara said the city would look at adding right-turn lanes and adjusting the timing of the lights.

“I’ve been up there on a couple of occasions where I’ve had to sit through a couple of light cycles because somebody can’t turn left,” he said.

With both of Houghton’s school buildings nearby, the city could look at pedestrian signaling. That could cost tens of thousands of dollars, Waara said.

“We can actually buy the lights fairly inexpensively, but it’s those add-ons if we want to do it right,” he said.

Construction on the second half of the College Avenue project is expected to be complete in late October. As part of the project, construction switched lanes to the south side of Montezuma Avenue Wednesday.

On the College Avenue portion, crews are working in both directions from an uncovered mine shaft found during construction. Once rebar arrives, crews will put it around the collar of the mineshaft, then backfill it and add a concrete plug.

While Sharon Avenue is the formal detour, many people have been using Houghton Avenue as an unofficial shortcut.

The city put out some speed bumps along a section of Houghton Avenue to slow down motorists. Resident Joan Borbas asked if the city could also install measures on the section between Dodge and Isle Royale streets, which she said has seen cars go through at 45 mph.

Sets of speed bumps that had been used when the city paved Dodge Street were recently found and will be placed along Houghton Avenue, Waara said. Police Chief John Donnelly said the city might move its speed sign to that section from Prospect Street.

Some of the congestion on Houghton Avenue might also be helped by the Montezuma Avenue construction taking place on the right lane, which cuts off access to some of the later turns up to Houghton, Waara said.

City officials also met recently with the Michigan Department of Transportation to look at possible safety improvements to make to the M-26 corridor between the Yooper Loop and Green Acres Road.

Several intersections along the corridor have had years with high incident rates, including Sharon Avenue, Razorback Drive and Canal Road.

“Of course, it’s very, very challenging, because it’s a long, sweeping, curving road,” Police Chief John Donnelly said.

Solutions might include roundabouts, which would require flattening out the grade at intersections such as Sharon Avenue.

MDOT will come back with a formal report. The process has included bringing in consultants from downstate who could bring a new perspective to the problem, Waara said.