Northwestern University Shoreline Improvements
The Work
In the past few years, Lake Michigan has experienced record high lake levels, impacting the shoreline of Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Shoreline improvements were necessary to protect the area from erosion, ensuring it would be safe for pedestrians and those using Northwestern’s Sailing Center, and that it could withstand the water levels in the future. The plan was to install a new beach control structure to minimize the impact of rising waters in order to protect the Sailing Center and beach.
In order to build the beach control structure, construction crews would need access to build within the lake. Power Construction Company hired Berger for the challenging task of building a temporary causeway made out of 5,000 tons of 3” rock—challenging because it was to be built right into Lake Michigan. In addition, Berger imported 7,500 tons of sand for beach nourishment.
The Challenge
A project of this nature—building a causeway directly into a lake with conditions that change wildly with the weather—required both an extreme attention to detail in planning and the ability to adapt and coordinate as conditions change. Berger applied our vast expertise to create a plan that was rock solid, while allowing us to be agile and make adjustments as needed.
A major challenge of this project relied on excellent communication skills to succeed. Berger needed to coordinate with Power Construction and their sheeting subcontractor as we dealt with what mother nature had to offer. Monitoring the weather and its effects on Lake Michigan, Berger kept in constant communication to determine when to start work. Once started, Berger and the sheeting contractor worked long hours and coordinated to produce the successful result.
The Result
This project had huge potential risks. Berger was able to mitigate the risks by using excellent planning to break the project into manageable steps, plan and coordinate with the other stakeholders, execute that plan and, in the end, succeed. The causeway is built and stable, setting up the rest of the project to complete this work that is so important to Northwestern’s campus.
We are proud of our part helping to protect this beautiful stretch of Lake Michigan that is part of this incredible institution. This infrastructure improvement will keep this stretch of campus available for the Northwestern community and the general public to access sailing, windsurfing, paddleboarding, and spectacular views of Chicago for years to come.