New trees, but no additional parking, coming to Muskegon’s Pere Marquette beach
Updated Apr 28, 2021;
Posted Apr 28, 2021
Pere Marquette beach in Muskegon will get additional trees, but no more parking or a wider sidewalk, at least for now, the city commission decided on April 27, 2021. This photo from the 2014 Mercy Health Seaway Run, shows many more trees along that stretch of beach than are there now. (MLive file photo)
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MUSKEGON, MI – Muskegon’s Pere Marquette beach will get new trees, but no additional parking or a wider sidewalk anytime soon.
City staff will research the biggest trees that are appropriate for the beach – ones that could replace a tree “canopy” that has slowly dwindled over the years. But what happens to 11 existing trees that were slated for removal remains to be seen.
The heavy equipment, including a loader and an excavator seen in action at the beginning of Oakwood Drive in Havelock are not there for sewer issues, but rather a large drainage culvert repair, according to City Manager Frank Bottorff. However, he says, several sewer issue projects continue into 2021.
Oakwood Drive has been the site of many wastewater overflows with thousands of gallons spilled, usually after heavy rains since 2015. The worst years for untreated wastewater being released from manholes along Oakwood were between 2018-20.
The project currently under construction on that street, according to Bottorff, is to repair erosion of the sidewall of the ditch that runs between Gene’s Audio, Oakwood and the Speedway gas station, perpendicular to Hwy 70 West. The erosion has been causing damage to the roadway.