Heritage Landing Transforms Muskegon Lake’s Appeal: New Docks and Erosion Control Elevate Tourism Potential

Muskegon County

The Story

Heritage Landing, a county park on Muskegon Lake, faced severe erosion issues due to rising lake levels submerging its timber wall. This led to shoreline erosion that jeopardized the park’s infrastructure and the safety of its peninsula, used for docking ships.

An engineering study revealed that the timber wall was structurally unsound. The solution involved replacing it with a higher steel sheet pile wall, designed to better protect the peninsula. This project required permits from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and EGLE, along with bid document creation and construction oversight.

Additionally, a Great Lakes cruising company planned to add Muskegon to its itinerary but needed a new dock for their 325-foot-long ships. A new dock was designed to align with the ships’ boarding points and minimize environmental impact by using piles driven into the subsurface, avoiding the need to fill bottomland.

The new steel sheet pile wall effectively safeguarded the peninsula, while the dock was completed ahead of schedule, enabling the first cruise ship to dock by early summer 2016. This project not only protected Heritage Landing but also enhanced its appeal as a destination for Great Lakes cruises.

Our Role

  • Design
  • Structural Engineering
  • Construction Observation

Contact

Matt Hulst, PE
Project Manager
616-364-8491
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