Elk Rapids Harbor

The Village of Elk Rapids on Grand Traverse Bay boasts a beautiful marina and downtown area that attracts visitors from all over the Great Lakes. Edgewater Resources worked with the community to address several desired improvements, including transforming a park space into a more native dune ecology with greater ADA access, converting revetments to a soft shoreline capable of filtering water before it enters the harbor, and improving marina facilities to reduce the need for dredging.

Through the community visioning process, improvements were made to public access to the waterfront, which had been limited by excessive parking demands and vehicular circulation issues. This was partly resolved by an improved vehicular drop-off and expanded shuttle system, opening the waterfront for more paddlecraft access and improved wayfinding. The harbor was also reconfigured for improved circulation of the Elk River through the marina basin.