Levin was touring the Petoskey breakwater where $3.5M in federal funds are being invested in repair work.
PETOSKEY -- Senator Carl Levin (D) made a stop in northern Michigan Tuesday to get a first-hand look at the progress being made on repairs to the Petoskey breakwater.
The $2.6M first phase just wrapped up several weeks ahead of schedule. Nearly $3.5M in federal stimulus funds are being devoted to the second and final phase of the project.
“The structure was originally built in the early 1900’s and since then we haven’t done much maintenance,” said Tom O’Bryen, a project manager from the Army Corps. of Engineers. “We did have a failure in the spring of 2006 where a 50-foot section got blown out by the wave energy.”
“You can’t just let a breakwall not be finished,” Levin said. “I think people who had to live with this problem understand the importance of repairing this breakwall.”
Project leaders agree, saying the breakwall is vital to ensure the protection of the surroundings.
“The functionality of the structure is to take care of the wave energy that builds up as it comes across the big lake and into the bay and if we didn’t have that wave energy dissipated by the breakwall then it would be damaging the existing structures behind it the marinas, the boats,” O’Bryen said.
O’Bryen says much of the work is being done out of sight. The bulk of the breakwall, about 80-percent, is below water and that is where the majority of the work is being done.
During phase one, crews placed a concrete cap over the outer 300 feet of the breakwater. Rubble mounding will be installed during the second phase.
As for the federal investment, O’Bryen says this project helps provide a stimulant to Michigan’s economy.
“We’re using a prime contractor from Michigan, a sub-contractor from Michigan, a stone supplier from Michigan and the concrete is supplied from Michigan so the whole project is going to help boost the Michigan economy with them being from the area,” O’Bryen said.
The second phase is expected to get underway later this year with work continuing throughout much of next year.
O’Bryen says the repairs are anticipated to extend the breakwall’s life expectancy by 50 years.
