Racine Declares Shoreline Emergency

Pete Serzant, WLIP News

RACINE, WI—The city of Racine has issued a declaration of emergency after last weekend’s storms left lakeshore areas severely damaged.

Mayor Corey Mason made the announcement yesterday citing the many failures and breaches in many of the city’s beachfront parks. Saturday’s high winds near 50 miles per hour combined with record high lake levels made for what officials are calling an unprecedented event.

Mason says that the damage requires extraordinary measures to protect the people of Racine. The emergency declaration allows the city to ask for state and federal assistance to help fix the damage. 

Kenosha County Parks officials say that the lakefront path is open by the Andersen Arts Center in Kenosha but it will still be closed indefinitely north of 66th Street until future plans are decided.

The Kemper Center and Andersen Arts Center parking lots are open but officials strongly recommend avoiding the immediate shoreline area due to unstable banks.