Beachfront Interpretive Signage and Boardwalk

The City of Waukegan will develop a beachfront boardwalk and interpretative signage project under the open space legacy category. It reflects the first phase in the beachfront restoration process which will advance new open space preserves of regional significance, and increase public access to the lakefront. The first-stage physical project will protect the parking lot and the bathing beach. The City's consultant, Conservation Design Forum, has designed a concept plan freaturing an access boardwalk with split rail fencing and interpretative signage. Implementation of this project will allow the public to safely traverse and view this sensitive dunes environment, while providing and educational opportunity to emphasize ecological restoration and the unique lakefront habitats.

The proposed boardwalk would be designed at a human scale, letting visitors experience first-hand the beauty of the dune and wetland swale systems characteristic of the beachfront as well as sensitive plant material found in very few other places in the world. The interpretive signage will provide information about the environmental habitat, possibly describe the progress of the beachfront restoration, and highlight those common elements of the lakefront-downtown master plan and the Burnham Legacy, emphasizing the importance of open space.