Workers suffer abuse from motorists during UP project
HANCOCK — Working road construction is dangerous enough when things are going well, but when workers face intentional harassment and physical attacks from motorists, it becomes more dangerous.
Dustin Provost, an employee of project contractor Hebert Construction of Iron River, said that during the past couple weeks, workers have had several negative experiences with drivers.
“This whole past month has been nothing but trouble,” he said Friday.
Provost said about two weeks ago, he was working by the Portage Lake Lift Bridge when he was hit by something he thought may have been a BB or a pellet fired from a gun.
Another Hebert employee, Blain Ruonavaara, said he and Provost were operating a concrete saw when three different vehicles hit the saw, breaking off part of a cover on the machine. The drivers went on without stopping.
“We said, ‘OK. We’re not cutting anymore,'” he said.
Provost said many people have been driving too fast through the work zone, and many of the plastic barrels marking the travel lanes have been struck.
The bad things that have been happening to the workers have been somewhat balanced out by people bringing them food and drinks, Ruonavaara said.
“That got people’s mood up,” he said.
Hancock Police Chief Wayne Butler was unavailable for comment about the situation Friday, and no one in the office was authorized to talk about it, but Butler did make some comments to ABC10 News Thursday.
“We’re just asking that if anybody knows anything about who may have done this or who might be involved in this to contact the Hancock Police Department, because it is a misdemeanor and it is an assault,” Butler said, according to the television report. “And again, the construction is almost over. I know people have been frustrated and have been upset with it. We’re just glad that it’s coming to an end now and we should end up with a beautiful project that’s going to be completed here within the next few days.”
In an email about the situation, Dan Weingarten, Michigan Department of Transportation communications representative for the Superior Region at the Ishpeming Transportation Service Center, said an investigation into the incidents is ongoing.
“MDOT is continuing to look into these claims of worker harassment, which had not been reported to the department before this story came to light Thursday,” he wrote.
A representative from Hebert Construction could not be reached for comment about the situation.
Kurt Hauglie’s email address is khauglie@mininggazette.com.