Wave goodbye to some shoreline roads

Take a drive along the Great Lakes shoreline, and it’s evident many waterfront county roads are being challenged by the highest water levels in years.

But is the tide turning? Unfortunately, not anytime soon.

In April 2020, the County Road Association of Michigan reported that $53.4 million is needed currently for Great Lakes road restoration work.

High water is destroying shoreline roads faster than road agencies can fix them, in some cases. Until water levels become stable, solutions are limited and may come at the expense of the rest of the county road and bridge system.

While the scope of the Great Lakes shoreline damage likely meets emergency funding thresholds, all of those programs are typically meant to address single-event storms. That means a different funding source – state or federal – is needed to fix this significant problem in the Great Lakes State.

Learn more:

County Road Association of Michigan releases Great Lakes high water damage numbers

Wave after wave eating up scenic roads