Miners Beach Parking Expansion Project Underway

Date: August 4, 2006
Contact: Chris Case, 906-387-2607

NPS heavy equipment at work on the Miners Beach parking project

NPS photo by Chris Case

Construction has begun at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore’s west Miners Beach parking area. The area will remain open to the public throughout the project.

The parking area is being enlarged to address increased visitation at this popular area. The expansion will provide additional parking and be more accommodating for recreational vehicles, buses, and vehicles with trailers. The parking area will provide a one-way circular traffic pattern and includes a kayak loading and staging area. In addition to the parking lot improvements, stabilization of the beach trails and shoreline bluff is also included in the project.

The project is being completed with Lakeshore staff as time permits, and is expected to be completed by next summer. The first phase of the project is already complete and has nearly doubled the number of existing parking spaces.

"We realized that insufficient parking in the area has become a problem, particularly on weekends and hot summer days,” said Facility Manager Chris Case. “We wanted to begin the project as soon as possible to provide the increased parking.”

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1970, an environmental assessment for the project was prepared, and it was found that the construction undertaken would have no significant impact on the resources.

If you have any questions on the project, please contact lakeshore headquarters at [phone] or the Interagency Visitor Center at [phone].