VERMILION, Ohio - Working as America's engineering agency the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is committed to delivering repairs on schedule, safely, and with minimal disruption to the community. This dedication and commitment is shown throughout projects like the pier repairs and dredging that have been conducted at Vermilion Harbor in Vermilion, Ohio.
The City of Vermilion has undergone improvements to its harbor that will ensure its estimated, $6.9 million in revenue generated for the local economy will continue to flow through its waterways and shores. The east and west piers within the harbor are essential to safe navigation which supports a successful local economy.
“The west pier is a key piece of infrastructure for safe navigation in Vermilion Harbor and Lake Erie,” said Lex Barker, USACE Buffalo District project manager. “We understand this construction impacts the community, and we appreciate their support as we repair this critical pier.”
The piers are exposed to storms, deep-water wave and ice action causing structure breakdown.
The USACE, Buffalo District along with partners and stakeholders who include the City of Vermilion, Erie Metroparks, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources have played a part in the repairs to the east and west piers along with dredging of the harbor to ensure proper depth for larger vessels to travel the river.
Maintenance of the piers at Vermilion harbor provides protection to the shoreline, a safe recreational boating space for the community as well as the seasonal charter fishing boats that also generate revenue for the community.
Repairs to the east pier, done by Illinois-based Kovilic Construction Company Inc., began in June 2021 and were completed in October 2021 with a $2.2 million contract to repair 216 feet of the most degraded section of the Vermilion Harbor east pier.
Constructed in 1837 at a length of 600 feet, minor and emergency repairs have been completed over the years, and repair around the navigation light and rebuild of the pier from the navigation light (channel side) occurred in 2003.
The repairs to approximately 900 feet of Vermilion’s west pier started in September 2023 and were completed in December 2023 with a $1.2 contract awarded to Norwalk, Ohio-based Mark Schaffer Excavating-Trucking.
Repairs from the beach section to the north wrap included removing all stone that has begun to settle on the lakeside of the pier. New granular fill was placed beneath the stone with a reset of the cap stones to their initial elevations.
In a continuation of ensuring safe navigation, Vermilion Harbor’s west pier was repaired further with a $6.3 million contract awarded to Chicago-based Architectural Consulting Group, Ltd., January 30, 2024. These repairs along the south end included installation of a soldier pile wall and sheet pile lagging connected to subsurface rock and bedrock, and re-installation of cut stone to form revetments.
“We’re not only concerned with safe navigation of vessels and the protection of the shoreline, but we’re also working to ensure the repairs provide an area of safe recreation for the community, said Kelsey McElwain incoming Buffalo District project manager.”
Throughout the duration of the repairs, which have taken place during the off-season, communication between the Buffalo District, City of Vermilion, marinas and the U.S. Coast Guard provided updates for the public with messages of caution during periods of construction activity.
USACE is ensuring the Great Lakes harbors stay economically viable while providing safe access for boaters.
Photos of the west pier and Vermilion Harbor are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/buffalousace/albums/72177720312098484/
The Buffalo District delivers world class engineering solutions to the Great Lakes Region, the Army and the Nation in order to ensure national security, environmental sustainability, water resource management, and emergency assistance during peace and war.
| Date Taken: | 03.24.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.24.2025 13:46 |
| Story ID: | 493580 |
| Location: | VERMILION, OHIO, US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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