City Installing Concrete Barriers Along Lakefront To Prevent Flooding Damage
CHICAGO (CBS) -- City officials plan to install hundreds of yards of concrete barriers along the lakefront, to protect against further erosion from the high water levels on Lake Michigan.
Lake Michigan reached near record high levels this year, due to an extremely wet spring.
Already the lakefront has seen receding beaches and crumbling breakwalls from high water levels.
To prevent any further damage at some beaches, the city plans to install concrete jersey barriers at eight spots on the lakefront that are vulnerable to flooding from storms this fall and winter:
• Along Lake Shore Drive from Oak Street to North Avenue and at Fullerton Avenue
• Juneway Beach
• Rogers Beach
• Howard Beach
• At Granville Street on the lakefront
• Along the lakefront from 49th Street to 50th Street
• Along the Lakefront at 75th Street
The installation of the barriers could mean lane closures along northbound Lake Shore Drive during overnight hours.
Installation of the barriers began Tuesday night and will continue through the end of the month.