County Road Association: $53 Million Needed For Threatened Coastal Roads

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191220erosioncontrol0012-2

The County Road Association of Michigan is warning that roads along the Great Lakes shoreline around the state will require $53.4 million in immediate fixes to remain functional in the coming year. That’s due to shoreline erosion and high water levels in the lakes. The association says part of the solution will have to be “rocks the size of a Volkswagen” to be placed along the shore. As tourist season begins and people venture out of their homes during the pandemic, eroding shorelines and damaged roads are becoming an even bigger problem. The County Road Association says in Ontonagon County, for example, high water levels are threatening the east entrance of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, Michigan’s largest state park. The group is hoping Congress and the state can find a way to help protect threatened roads by getting the materials and equipment needed to strengthen coastal areas. The issue is the cover story in the latest edition of Crossroads, the quarterly journal of the County Road Association of Michigan