HANCOCK – The Michigan Department of Transportation will be holding a public meeting June 19 to share plans for a major maintenance project on the Portage Lake Lift Bridge between Houghton and Hancock. The project is scheduled to begin this winter.

Residents and business owners can review the plans for construction and ask questions at the meeting.

It will be held at 7 p.m. at the Lakeview Manor Community Room, 1401 W. Quincy Street in Hancock.

MDOT will perform upgrades and preventive maintenance work on the Portage Lake Lift Bridge between Houghton and Hancock from mid-December 2014 to mid-April 2016. The $5.5 million project includes lift cable replacement, balance chain maintenance, electrical and mechanical upgrades, security system improvements, spot painting and new barrier gates.

The project will require several long-term nighttime closures of the bridge and numerous short-term closures.