Port Construction at Burns Waterway Harbor

First phase construction of a major new year-round Lake Michigan deep-water port for vessels up to 1,000-ft length and 27-ft draft was completed near Portage, Indiana by an unusual combination of public and private interests. The port consists of a north breakwater, and east and west outer bulkheads extending inshore to form the outer flanks of the east and west harbor arms. An extensive riparian fill creates the inner flanks of the harbor arms. Bethlehem Steel Corp. built the east outer bulkhead as a dockwall, the harbor entrance deflector wall, their riparian enclosure, and dredged part of the east harbor arm. Midwest Steel Corp. built the west jetty and the anchored and cellular parts of the west outer bulkhead. The Indiana Port Commission built and dredged the remainder of the harbor. The construction methods are described at length and in detail, including underwater, open-lake, and riparian-fill construction.