A construction project is starting up on a stretch of Hacker Road in Oceola and Hartland Townships.

Hacker Road will be closed from Golf Club to Bergin beginning today. The project was originally done two years ago but is needed to repair subgrade embankment failure. Livingston County Road Commission Managing Director Mike Craine says occasionally the initial fix doesn’t always work so crews will be back for about a month and reminds Hacker Road will be completely closed from July 23rd to mid-August in an area about 1,000 feet north of Golf Club Road since they will have to dig the entire width of the road.

He says they had a localized failure in an area of a large swamp where they had attempted to dig out the swamp. He says obviously that didn’t work so crews will be going back in because it’s the right thing to do and will provide much more stability. Craine tells WHMI the pavement currently there will not be acceptable in another couple of years because the swamp is moving and essentially sucking parts of the road bed into the swamp. He notes it is complicated work that involves taking apart the existing drainage system, pulling the road grade a little lower and then filling up the difference with large Styrofoam blocks, which are used to save weight versus heavier material like gravel. He says weight is always the problem in swampy areas so they’ll take some weight off to get better pavement performance.

Craine says he sympathizes with residents and motorists who utilize the road on a daily basis because it was a long summer of construction they had to endure when the project was first done. Motorists are reminded there will be no access through the work zone and access to homes will be by way of Bergin Road between Hacker and Old US-23. (JM)