HARBOR SPRINGS — The Tunnel of Trees, located on state highway M-119, is closed along multiple portions of the road after April showers flooded northern Michigan.
M-119 has several disruptions, mainly between Good Hart and Cross Village.
Near West Stutsmansville Road was not as bad as some areas but still a safety concern, Michigan Department of Transportation’s James Lake said.
"We had a failure of the slope beneath the roadway, and it did not reach the roadway edge, but it was close enough that we’re concerned about the stability of the roadway in that area,” Lake said. “We closed the road until we can make repairs there.”
The expectation for these disruptions is that southern end of the road will be drivable by the end of the summer — but other parts, primarily around Division Road, washed out completely.
Lake said MDOT will have to install a custom culvert under the road, with the type dictating how much longer the road will be closed.
The current expectation for the washed-out road is that it will take several months to return to normal operation.
With the roads closed since April, some local business owners are seeing a lull in activity, while others say it's too soon to tell.
Joann Condino, owner of Three Pines Studio in Cross Village, said that she has seen less traffic than she expected for this time of year.
“Supposition could be, is the traffic less because of the news of the washout, and that it's difficult to come north, from Harbor (Springs) into Cross Village?” Condino said. “I'm not sure yet, I think it's just too early to tell.”
She said that the middle of July may be a better indicator of how the news of the washout hits the local economy.
Trillium Woods Coffee is a business on M-119 and the Tunnel of Trees.
Mary Allen, the owner of the establishment, said that, luckily, business is mostly unaffected.
“We're still getting plenty of people who want to come out and take a scenic drive and stop for a cup of coffee,” Allen said. “We’re feeling really blessed and lucky that the road closure hasn't affected us too badly.”
She also said that everyone on the Tunnel of Trees is “feeling it in some way.”
MDOT officials are in contact with the business owners about road repairs and the timeline, according to Lake and Allen.
