The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has approved $4 million USD in funding for seven boating infrastructure projects. The funding supports work on marinas, municipal harbours and boating access sites under the Waterways Grant-in-Aid programme, with additional local contributions increasing the total investment to more than $6.5 million.
Operated since 1949, the Waterways Grant-in-Aid programme is run by the Michigan DNR parks and recreation division and provides matching funding for engineering work and infrastructure improvements at public boating access sites and harbour facilities.
Eligible applicants for the grant include local government units such as cities, villages, townships and counties, as well as state colleges and universities. Communities must provide 50 percent of the required funding as a match.
Among the approved projects are a number of marina and harbour works. At Petoskey Municipal Marina, dredging work will deepen the marina basin. At Cinder Pond Marina, the project includes replacement of four piers along with related utility work.
At the Port Sanilac Municipal Harbor, Phase 1 includes site work, utility upgrades, fixed walkway repairs, fuel pier replacement, pier upgrades and pump-out system work.
Frankfort Municipal Marina is set for dock repairs, shoreline revetment work, sidewalk replacement and stormwater outfall work. Hessel Marina will include finger dock work, a structural assessment, a dive survey and cost analysis for future work.
At Bois Blanc Island Marina, an engineering study will assess dredging, ramp integrity, ADA compliance and development options for township-owned waterfront land on the mainland.
At Flahive boating access site, the project includes new concrete planks, a skid pier, access road pavement, shoreline riprap and shoreline cofferdam work.
Kristen Kosick, parks and recreation division chief, said: “Michigan is home to more than 1,200 state-sponsored boating access sites, 19 state-managed harbours and 64 local state-sponsored harbours of refuge along the Great Lakes. As boating remains a cornerstone of Michigan’s outdoor recreation, the DNR is committed to investing in and funding these vital waterways for the benefit of all.”
The funding comes from the Michigan State Waterways Fund, supported mainly by boat registration fees and a portion of state fuel tax revenue. Applications for the next Waterways Grant-in-Aid funding round are due on 1 April 2027.
