Lake Forest Approves $2 Million Rebuild To Beach Access Road

LAKE FOREST, IL — The City Council approved a plan to spend nearly $2 million on repairs to a beach access road. The North beach access road at Forest Park has been closed since June following a collapse caused by heavy rain. Although aldermen voted for the more expensive of two options presented, they believe it is the "right thing to do and that many philanthropic residents in Lake Forest will contribute to the cause," according to a release.

Lake Forest has been keeping tabs on the bluff from the South and North beach access roads at Forest Park since 2016. In March 2017, aldermen developed "risk" and "watch" areas after reviewing bluff stability reports, and the city installed devices to measure the bluff's movement.

Following flooding and ground oversaturation, the city determined the boardwalk at the beach was unsafe due to movement on the bluff on June 26 and ordered the north access road and the boardwalk closed. The bluff adjacent to the access road collapsed the next day, taking with it a roughly 60-foot-wide area from the table land to the road, according to the city.

The city formed a bluff advisory committee to work on developing options. Last month it presented three options to aldermen, which were narrowed down to two final proposals at the Oct. 1 City Council meeting.

The option selected at the council's Oct. 15 meeting would reconstruct the North beach access road so it is no longer directly adjacent to the bluff, minimizing the impact of vegetation at an estimated cost of $1,985,000.

Aldermen rejected a plan that would have cost about $1 million less. That plan would have involved re-grading the bluff and resulted in the loss of 30 feet of table land at Forest Park, removing all the bluff's vegetation and transplanting 31 trees and shrubs, according to a release.

City officials hope to raise private funds to cover the difference in cost. More than $200,000 had been raised as of earlier this month, the city said in a release. People interested in contributing to the project should contact their aldermen, according to the city.

“I solidly believe we will raise the majority of the difference," said Mayor Rob Lansing, "and we are doing what is in the long-term best interest of Lake Forest from many perspectives.”

Construction would begin as soon as weather permits in the spring of 2019 with a targeted completion date of the middle of July 2019. Equipment would be kept at the north end of the beach.

Last year, the city carried out $1.2 million in repairs to the south access road funded by a mix of capital funds, permit fees from Lake Forest Hospital construction and residential development impact fees.

The boardwalk along the bluff will be removed in late November for safety reasons, the city announced. City officials are working with engineers to develop a plan for its replacement in a new location. The new boardwalk compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to a release.

Lake Forest residents were invited to a public meeting to discuss ideas for the future of the boardwalk. The "Big Boardwalk Think" is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17 at the South Pavilion.

Watch discussion from the Oct. 15 Lake Forest City Council meeting:

Earlier:

• $1.2 Million Reconstruction Project Closes Lake Forest Beach Road
• Bluff Erosion Closes Forest Park Beach Access Road