Barkers Island Beach is Getting a Facelift

An $800,000 construction project is underway at Barkers Island Beach in Superior. The beach is being repaired because  it was listed on the impaired beach list. Linda Cadotte, City of Superior's Director of Parks, Recreation and Forestry said the beach was bad enough that this helped get some funding for the project. In the end it was mostly grant funding through the Wisconsin DNR.

High E.Coli levels in the water have caused many beach closures the past few summers and students from UWS with the Lake Superior Research Institute will continue to monitor the beach and do E. Coli testing.

The high E. Coli found in the water is from a number of factors including sea gulls, storm water run off and pets and humans too. Cadotte said  "This project will be removing the asphalt surfaces, adding boardwalk and other things to be able to treat the water that's coming off the roadways and surfaces before going into the lake,"

Also additional parking spots will be added to make the area more centrally located for residents and tourists alike, along with replacing 17.000 feet of pedestrian trails with a raised boardwalk and restroom facilities.

Parts of the beach will be inaccessible during construction which is planned to be finished by the end of next Summer. For more information on the project Click Here.