(WWJ) This is something you don't see every day — and you'll likely never see again.
Officials say it was a history-making event in northern Michigan Thursday, as U.S. military fighter jets landed on a highway.
Michigan State Police Lt. Derrek Carrol explained it's an operation of the Michigan Air National Guard.
"What this is, they're landing combat aircraft on M-32 to practice and simulate an emergency landing, if they had to, on a highway or freeway," he told WWJ Newsradio 950's Beth Fisher.
M-32, west of Alpena, closed at 8 a.m. on Aug. 5 for the exercise. The highway was set to reopen at 1 p.m.
Carrol said this is the first time that something like this has been done in the U.S.
He said police let people in the area know about the planned exercise about a month in advance.
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"This is just west of the airport, is where they're landing at. So they will be coming in from the east and landing, on the M-32 area. It's a good stretch of roadway," Carrol said. "They've removed some power lines, and let the residents know they will be without power for awhile, just to make it safer for the planes."
Traffic during the exercise was detoured on M-65, Werth Rd, US-23 and Ripley, with MSP troopers on the scene to help direct drivers.