Chicago

Flood Barriers Go Up Along Lake Michigan

Water levels in Lake Michigan are at a “near-record” high due to a longer-term wet pattern, the National Weather Service said.

Barriers were being put up along Lake Michigan Thursday as officials work to protect Chicago's lakefront from waters rising to historic levels. 

Crews began off-loading concrete barriers just north of Rainbow Beach Park around 8 a.m. at a flood-prone turnaround next to several apartment complexes and a Chicago Transit Authority route. 

The road in the area is already eroded, with some portions covered in sand after being pounded by high waves throughout the summer. 

“We could be like a distance away and still feel the mist of the waves," said South Shore resident Shauron Neely. "We walk here every morning so it’s a good thing for the people here and for the property as well.”

Chicago Department of Transportation engineers say the concrete is essentially a Band-Aid, but crews are expected to continue their installation to a total of eight spots along the lakefront. 

Barriers will be installed along Lake Shore Drive from Oak Street to North Avenue and at Fullerton Avenue, CDOT said. North Side installation locations will include Juneway Beach, Rogers Beach, Howard Beach and Granville Street. On the South Side, they will be installed from 49th to 50th Street and at 75th Street.

In addition to the concrete barriers, sandbags will soon go up along the bike path on the south side near 50th and 75th streets.

Water levels in Lake Michigan are at a “near-record” high due to a longer-term wet pattern, the National Weather Service said. The lake’s water level has increased six feet since January 2013, and 15 inches in the past year.

“Ensuring that the lakefront remains open and accessible to Chicagoans is a top priority for us,” Tom Carney, acting CDOT Commissioner said in the statement. “The lakefront path is a vital means of transportation, and one of the many things that makes Chicago such a unique city. This effort is only one of many projects that will protect our lakefront and residents.”

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