Pardon the alliteration, there’s plenty of pier project progress in the city of Marquette.

The Marquette City Commission on Monday approved a redesign for one of the proposed piers at Founders Landing, a big attraction for local residents and tourists because of its proximity to Lake Superior and the multi-use path.

The Michigan Department of Energy, Great Lakes and Environment put the permit for the northern pier on hold in December because of concerns about the proposed design. Officials now believe the updated design addresses these concerns.

The redesign involves a water eater buoy system and a difference in width on the eastern end of the north pier, going from 33 feet wide to 23 feet wide.

The pier project’s goal, however, remains the same: a project that has a boardwalk, a winding pathway with seating areas, a steel substructure, a solid eastern fill design and floating finger docks.

The amenities also comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The pier project involves two piling structures from the Spear Merchant Dock complex built in the 1880s, with the north set directly east of Baraga Avenue and the south set east of the Hampton Inn.

What’s important to note is that the redesign still falls within the $5.67 million budget.

Funding for the pier project was secured through the brownfield plan with the Marquette Brownfield Redevelopment Authority.

The city would have had to pay $3 million to remove the pilings anyway, so why not go forward with a project that offers so much more to the community?

The timeline, though, still is tentative. However, the hope is work can begin in late spring or early summer. It also is hoped the redesign fits the qualifications for the EGLE permit and plans can be submitted to the agency this week.

The piers area at Founders Landing has so much potential. People love to walk or bike to the area to look at the lake, obviously, but they also flock to the beach and by the Lower Harbor ore dock. This project would allow visitors to safely walk farther into the lake, getting views they might not otherwise get.

So, it’s good to hear forward progress is being made in a more environmentally friend manner, and we anticipate a more attractive Founders Landing will benefit everybody.