×

Sugarloaf enhancements

County board approves survey, design of parking expansion at rec area

Fall colors dot Sugarloaf Mountain, as viewed from Lake Superior. The Marquette County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday approved an amendment of an existing contract with Sanders and Czapski Associates for improvements at Sugarloaf Mountain to include the survey and design of expanded parking for the area. This is needed, officials say, as the area has limited parking spaces and sees thousands of visitors annually, with cars being parked along the side of Marquette County Road 550, creating a safety hazard. (Photo courtesy of the Marquette County Planning, Community Development, Forestry and Recreation Division.)

MARQUETTE — Due to a growing number of visitors, the Sugarloaf Mountain Natural Area’s parking lot may be expanded as soon as next year.

The Marquette County Board of Commissioners at its Tuesday meeting approved the amendment of an existing contract for improvements at Sugarloaf with Marquette-based Sanders and Czapski Associates to include $7,550 for the survey and design of a parking expansion for the area, which is located along Marquette County Road 550.

The parking lot expansion is needed, county officials said, as the area received over 47,000 visitors last year and has only around 30 parking spaces.

Staff has observed vehicles parked along both sides of County Road 550, with some vehicles parked partially in travel lanes and along guardrails. This creates a dangerous situation with the heavy traffic and limited sight distance along the road, according to officials.

“The parking lot was improved back in 2014, which kind of handled the situation for a while, but we’ve just seen such an exponential increase in traffic along (County Road) 550 that the parking now is not adequate, by any means,” Thyra Karlstrom, Marquette County interim manager of planning, told the board.

The sign located south of Sugarloaf Mountain Natural Area’s parking lot, which is along County Road 550 in Marquette Township. (Journal file photo by Cecilia Brown)

Funds have been allocated in the 2019 budget to survey and design the parking expansion at Sugarloaf, Karlstrom said. The survey and design process will result in drawings, a design narrative, estimated construction costs and an analysis of how the design meets the goals of the project.

“What this would do is expedite the project to expand parking and to eliminate that safety hazard along the roadway. They would do some survey work and develop a few different parking concepts that the county could then consider and have an estimated cost of construction,” she said. “So we could move forward, possibly next year, with actually implementing an expanded number of parking spaces at Sugarloaf.”

County staff had recommended amending the contract as Sanders and Czapski Associates is currently under contract with the county as its prime professional for the enhancement project to be completed this year at Sugarloaf Mountain, according to board documents.

The enhancement project to be completed this year will create interpretive trail signage, picnic areas, a waste and recycling collection system and a summit webcam in the area. Amending the contract to include the parking lot survey and design will “expedite this work and capitalize on services already being provided,” a letter from Karlstrom to county officials states.

Commissioner John DePetro, who made the motion to approve the contract amendment, commended Karlstrom for moving the project forward.

“Last year, it was brought to my attention that people were parking on both sides — on the east side and the west side — of (County Road) 550 near the Sugarloaf entrance,” DePetro said. “And with the logging trucks and the mining trucks and then the traffic coming through that area, there were many parents and grandparents bringing kids across the road in front of that traffic. So this is very vital that we get this project completed as soon as possible. And thank you very much for moving this forward.”

Cecilia Brown can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today