Construction has begun to repair the Powers Island step-down ramp at Cochran Shoals in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area (CRNRA), the park superintendent’s office announced in a news release.
The step-down ramp at Powers Island is an important access to the river for tubers, rafters, and paddlers and the existing ramp is in critical need of repair, the release said. The project will use uses visitor entrance fees to restore this river amenity.
Visitors are asked to avoid this area throughout the construction period and visit other local ramps to access the Chattahoochee River. The bridge leading from the parking lot to Powers Island will be construction access only and closed to the public. The step-down ramp should be completed and ready for the 2023 summer season, according to the release.
The park keeps 80% of all revenue from Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area entrance fees or the local sales of the various Federal Interagency Passes to fund this type of project. The other 20% of collected fees go into a larger, shared fund that can be used by parks with no entrance fee or very low fee revenues. All entrance fees collected in national park units are returned to the National Park Service. Entrance fees at CRNRA have been used in the past to fund sign replacement throughout the park, the restrooms at Cochran Shoals, the BacteriALERT program, and a boundary survey.