Indiana Dunes – Porter Beach Access Environmental Assessment

Porter Beach, on the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, is a popular public beach on Lake Michigan managed by the National Park Service (NPS). Because of Porter Beach’s popularity during summer months, NPS wanted to investigate whether it would be feasible to construct a new picnic area at the waterfront. LJB investigated the potential traffic and transportation implications that would face NPS and beach visitors. Solutions considered circulation, congestion, pedestrian/bicyclist access and emergency response. An intensive public involvement effort solicited feedback from affected residents and nearby stakeholders. The public comments received, as well as the presence of sensitive plant species, land ownership issues, and the purpose and need for the project were all considered during the analysis.