Plans Underway for Ongoing Marina Work at Mackinaw City State Dock
By Paul Gingras

Work for the year on a new state dock and marina in Mackinaw City was completed in December. The state anticipates increasing boater demand in the Straits area. Pictured between the State Ferry Dock and the Railroad Dock is the new state marina basin in Mackinaw City, which will eventually hold 127 slips. The decommissioned Coast Guard Cutter Mackinaw can be seen moored at the Railroad Dock, near the new harbor entrance breakwalls. Beyond the Railroad Dock is the Mackinaw City Marina and Shepler's dock. (Photograph by John Wagner)

The landscape is changing at the old state ferry dock in Mackinaw City, which is part of a new marina designed to meet anticipated demand for boat moorage, said William Boik, planning unit manager for the Michigan State Waterways Commission.

Work was halted for the winter in December, leaving a concrete boat launch and rip-rap along the dock. Planners are preparing for stage three of the five-stage project. This winter, the Waterways Commission is working on a site plan for the marina building.

The project will include 125 new boat slips, landscaped grounds, and a parking lot. The slips will be accessed via the state dock.

Dredging for the marina was completed last season, and the area was prepared for utility and telephone lines. A breakwall entrance to the harbor is in place, also.

Phase three of the dock project will focus on constructing the harbormaster building, which will include rest rooms, showers, and an area for boaters to relax.

Drawings are not available for the building or the site, in part, because planners are pondering methods to make it an environmentally friendly facility, Mr. Boik said. The building could be constructed to provide as much natural light as possible, for example, and sensors may be added to ensure that lights are off when they are not being used. Efficient fluorescent lights, waterless urinals, and heat pumps may also be included, and the parking lot may be equipped with solar-powered lights.

In areas around the marina building, the Waterways Commission is considering installing "turf paver," a gridwork of hard material, such as cement, with vegetation growing within the design. This enables an area to be strengthened enough to allow for maintenance vehicles, without sealing off the soil.

Environmental features will be assessed for cost, material availability, and longevity.

The entire facility is estimated to cost $9 million. The state has spent $3 million so far, Mr. Peterson said.

The state conducted a study of the Mackinac Straits area to determine how much future demand there is likely to be for marina space, including space for large boats. Determining that the Straits is likely to receive increasing demand for all manner of boat facilities, the state has poured funding into facilities in Mackinaw City, St. Ignace, and Mackinac Island, Mr. Boik said.

The anticipated growth in Mackinaw City and St. Ignace will bring more traffic on the Straits, and the Mackinaw City project represents a state effort to "stay ahead of the curve," Mr. Boik said.

If all goes well, the marina should be up and running by 2008.

Once the marina is operational, the state will continue developing infrastructure for deep water vessels. In recent years, a number of cruise ship companies have expressed interest in docking at Mackinaw City.

In the later stages of the project, the Waterways Commission may also restore historical objects on the dock, such as an elevator that was used prior to the Mackinac Bridge to load automobiles onto the upper decks of the state ferries, Mr. Boik said.