(Michigan City, IN) - The Army Corps of Engineers is working on a project in Michigan City Harbor. Barges arrived last week with materials to rebuild the north end of the lighthouse pier.

Harbor Master Tim Frame explained the work at a recent Michigan City Port Authority meeting. He said engineers started by pulling existing stones away and on three sides are installing sheet pile, interlocking sheets of steel that form a kind of barrier against the water. “Then they are going to backfill that with stone and grout to solidify that end,” he explained, “and pour a new top on it, and then put all that stone back.”

According to Frame, engineers will have at least two large barges going back and forth with cranes. They expect to conclude the project by the end of September.

After work on the pier is done, the Army Corps will add 1,300 tons of stone on the outer breakwater. Frame said the east and west ends of the breakwater have already been reinforced with stone. Soon, sometime in October, engineers will fill in the middle section with material coming in from Wisconsin.