MT. PLEASANT -- The emergency situation along Lake Michigan in Racine County where a dozen homes are at risk of falling into the water continues. Could the answer come from area roadways?
A new idea calls for moving concrete from the Zoo Interchange project, concrete that's going to be recycled and reused anyway, and using it to support the bluff in Mt. Pleasant.
More than a dozen lakefront homes are at risk there, and there's no time to waste.
“It seems like every rain storm that we get, it is starting to drop," said Jerry Garski, Mt. Pleasant Village President.
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"It was brought to my attention that the storm sewer pipe they are pulling out of the Zoo Interchange project possibly could be something that could be brought down here," said Garski.
The DNR has been in on conversations about this.
“Concrete is not the hardest material but if it’s very large, and I’m talking about four ton size pieces, it’ll stay in place," said Martin Griffin, DNR Statewide Waterway policy expert.
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The problem is Mt. Pleasant has no way to get the material here. The village doesn't have the money to pay anyone and:
“We don’t have funding for private property projects," said Griffin.
So all services would have to be donated, and with the DOT continuing its work, that concrete will likely be gone in about a week. But, officials aren't giving up.
“The Waukegan airport is going to replace runways . So there’s going to be some concrete there that would possibly be thick enough, strong enough and heavy enough to help the homeowners," said Garski.
Garski says he's not giving up, following every lead, just trying to help people. He says it's important to take care of the problem. Ultimately if the bluff continues to break down, it could affect a main north-south thoroughfare, Sheridan Road.
