Port Huron's 12th Street Boat Launch closed amid lot reconstruction
Jackie Smith
A popular boat ramp will be closed to local boaters over the next few weeks as work gets underway to reconstruct the facility’s lot.
The 12th Street Boat Launch, located at 1131 Water St., was closed Tuesday as improvements got underway with new asphalt, pavement markings and signage.
City Council OK’d nearly $350,000 for the project last month, financing the work with the city’s share of American Rescue Plan dollars. On Tuesday, Angela McKinstry, the city’s engineering manager, said the work will last until “mid-October at least.”
It’s a matter of timing — after Labor Day but while the weather is still warm — that officials said they understand might frustrate some boaters. However, City Manager James Freed, citing complaints to city administrators, said there may not have been a better time.
“The problem is there’s so much subbase and work that has to be done that it takes six to seven weeks. Starting in October, I couldn’t guarantee it would be done in time before the asphalt plans (begin),” Freed said. “It’s all dependent on the weather.”
“There’s never a good time to do it, and we wanted to have it done by fall because if not, we wouldn’t be able to start until the ice breaks, until the thaw,” Freed said. “... So, you’re talking June. That whole thing would be closed. And after a long winter, people like to get their boats out and start chasing the walleye.”
Harbormaster Mike Davenport said he hadn’t heard too many complaints about the closure but agreed there were bound to be “a few people that I’m sure are a little frustrated.”
“But I think for the most part everyone’s on board — that it needs to be fixed. And when all is said and done, it’ll be a brand-new ramp for them to use,” he said. “The ramp before was in rough, rough shape. Very bad shape. It definitely needed to be done. And unfortunately, it’s a project where really there’s no good time to do it.”
Freed said brand new docks went in at the boat launch last year.
The work at the 12th Street launch area follows much more extensive work at Port Huron’s Riverside Boat Launch three years ago — when $700,000 worth of improvements put down new pavement for its lot, as well as bathroom upgrades.
For more information on the 12th Street launch construction, contact the department of public works at (810) 984-9730.
Contact Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @Jackie20Smith.