EMPIRE -- A million-dollar view from the top of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore could cost taxpayers nearly that much under a proposal to construct a tunnel and boardwalk.
National Park Service officials want to stop visitors from climbing a 450-foot perched dune to Lake Michigan from overlooks on the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive just north of Empire. They paid a consulting firm, JJR of Ann Arbor, $60,000 to complete an environmental assessment that produced four alternatives for consideration.
Sleeping Bear officials prefer to keep visitors' feet from touching the sand. They propose constructing a 150-foot tunnel through the top of the dune to a new elevated platform, connected to overlook No. 9 by an elevated boardwalk above the bluff face. A new path carved through the forested area of the dune would take visitors to overlook No. 10.
Construction costs are estimated between $750,000 and $1 million.
"It appears to us, senior management, that the (tunnel) alternative is the best alternative to solve all of the issues," said Tom Ulrich, deputy park superintendent at Sleeping Bear.
Park officials said they're concerned about people who climb down the dune but can't make it back up, erosion and maintenance costs from clearing sand. Opponents cite construction costs and object to closing the bluff to visitors, Ulrich said.
Retired park ranger Tom Van Zoeren said it's debatable whether there's a need to stop bluff climbers.
He said a symbolic barrier and signs to warn hikers of the difficulty of scaling the steep bluff would significantly trim the need for hiker rescues.
"There are a lot of activities in our national parks that involve some danger, but I think it's really neat when people go out and use the park instead of standing there on a platform and looking at it like it's a postcard," Van Zoeren said.
Bill Herd, another retired ranger, said hikers will just find ways around the tunnel. He predicts they'll crisscross the dunes and cause more erosion.
"I'm not convinced the preferred alternative will actually solve the problem to any significant degree," Herd said.
Herd agrees better signs would reduce problems.
"Talk about irony, for years management limited the number of signs out there because they don't want clutter, but now they want this huge infrastructure," he said.
Public comment on the alternatives ends Monday. Park Superintendent Dusty Shultz then will decide on the matter.
Lusetich: AT&T Rd. 3 recap
Whitney Houston's body is removed from hotel
Raw Video: Aurora Borealis As Seen From Space
Whitney's Final Days - EXCLUSIVE
Romney Tops Santorum in CPAC Straw Poll
First glimpse of Blue Ivy Carter
Angry Dad Shoots Teens Laptop
Peek inside Barbie's closet
Absolute Lin-sanity
Madonna's Daughter Shaves Head
5 Killed in Wrong-way Crash on I-10 in La.
Test on Comforter in Powell Unit Shows Blood
Hero Driver Saves Kids From Burning Bus
Funeral to be held for Powell boys
Sandusky on having to stay inside and people turning on him
Uzbek Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Kill Obama
Woolly Mammoth Caught on Camera?
Did JLo 'Assault' Marc Anthony on Camera?
Christie Brinkley's Runway Slip
Toddler forced to run half-naked in snow
