Smokey Hollow Road Erosion and Wash-Out on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Erosion and Wash-Out on the south end of Smokey Hollow Road, near the Center Road intersection | Jane Boursaw Photo
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In today’s Old Mission Peninsula road news, a section of Smokey Hollow Road has washed out. This follows reports earlier this week of wash-outs on Peninsula Drive and The Hogsback after torrential rains blew across northern Michigan, causing flooding in Traverse City and beyond.

The Smokey Hollow Road erosion and wash-out is on the south end of the road, about a quarter mile from the Center Road intersection, on the right side of the hill as you head down towards Boursaw Road (or Danny Fouch’s farm for longtime OMPers). Or, just north of The Cut-Across to Center Road.

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Smokey Hollow Road Erosion and Wash-Out on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Erosion and Wash-Out on the south end of Smokey Hollow Road, near the Center Road intersection | Jane Boursaw Photo

While the erosion doesn’t look too bad from the road side, it’s another story when you view it from the erosion side. I took the photos below from the hill below where Smokey Hollow Road is washed out, and you can see the erosion is cutting underneath the road bed.

Smokey Hollow Road Erosion and Wash-Out on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Erosion and Wash-Out on the south end of Smokey Hollow Road, near the Center Road intersection | Jane Boursaw Photo
Smokey Hollow Road Erosion and Wash-Out on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Erosion and Wash-Out on the south end of Smokey Hollow Road, near the Center Road intersection | Jane Boursaw Photo
Smokey Hollow Road Erosion and Wash-Out on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Erosion and Wash-Out on the south end of Smokey Hollow Road, near the Center Road intersection | Jane Boursaw Photo
Smokey Hollow Road Erosion and Wash-Out on the Old Mission Peninsula | Jane Boursaw Photo
Erosion and Wash-Out on the south end of Smokey Hollow Road, near the Center Road intersection | Jane Boursaw Photo

Meanwhile, the Grand Traverse County Road Commission has filled in the washed-out section on Peninsula Drive. However, as of last night, the section on the north side of The Hogsback on Center Road remains un-repaired, with sandbags and markers alerting drivers of the issue.

Got road news? Text me at (231) 590-4715. Include your name so I know who you are.

SUPPORT YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So I started my own newspaper.

Because Old Mission Gazette is a "Reader Supported Newspaper" -- meaning it exists because of your financial support -- I hope you'll consider tossing a few bucks our way if I mention your event, your business, your organization or your news item, or if you simply love reading about what's happening on the OMP. In a time when local news is becoming a thing of the past, supporting an independent community newspaper is more important now than ever. Thank you so much for your support! -Jane Boursaw, Editor/Publisher, Old Mission Gazette

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3 COMMENTS

  1. There is also a washout just north of the guard rails going to the lighthouse. On the Bay side of the road. Not as bad as these, but if ignored, they will be.

  2. Meanwhile there is a 41 home development going in off Smokey Hollow Rd and large trucks are rumbling over this wash out daily multiple times which cant’t be helpful. True the development did not start the road problem but they’ll still need to use the road. If anyone thinks development does not have long term adverse consequences to a community , think again.

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