North Side Shoreline Faces Increased Erosion While Residents Wait For A Permanent Fix
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Continuously high lake levels are washing away a treasured beach in Chicago.
Chicago native Greg Vallarta has been coming to Juneway Beach for decades, even before he moved to Rogers Park.
"It really is the jewel, you don't get places like this," Vallarta said.
For decades, Juneway Beach was a place for people to escape. Now, it's a hazard and a problem, and a growing one at that.
Erosion is happening all along the Lake Michigan shoreline, and Rogers Park is at the forefront.
Since CBS 2 was there in July, there has been several more feet of erosion, more sunken sidewalks and more barriers to keep the people away from danger.
But crumbling sidewalks and canyons for beaches from near record high water levels aren't enough to get a fix that will stick just yet.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers here in Chicago tell CBS 2 they submitted a request for a re-evaluation study along the Chicago shoreline and now they're waiting on Washington approval.
Residents are wondering how bad it has to get for the shoreline to be a top priority.
"I can't even believe what it'll be a month from now if we get more storms like this," Vallarta said. "And that was nothing, we've had bigger storms."
Those long term solution' will cost millions of dollars and take several years, which might be too long to wait for residents. Vallarta said everyone in the area is nervous.
"I love this area. I don't want to move," Vallarta said. "I'm not planning on it, but I've seen what's happening in a year's time."
The Chicago Park District said they've added additional fencing to keep people away from the eroding land.