Dredging of the New Soo Locks About to Begin

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit District, has announced that the New Lock at the Soo project is on schedule as construction for phase one of the project began this week.

According to the Corps, Trade West Construction, Inc., began to move equipment to the site on May 4 and will begin deepening the upstream approach to the locks in the north canal within the next month.

Phase one of the project, upstream channel deepening, will facilitate the construction of a new Poe-sized lock in the place of the existing Davis and Sabin Locks.

This work is expected to be complete in November 2021.

“It’s incredible that we’re starting this construction a year earlier than even the most optimistic projections when the project was reauthorized in 2018,” said Lt. Col. Gregory Turner, commander, USACE, Detroit District. “Getting the first phase started sets the conditions for the project’s ultimate completion.”

The three major phases of the project remain on track with their timetables virtually unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic at this time.

Phase two involves rehabilitation of the upstream approach walls, which will stabilize the existing approach walls to allow for modern vessels to tie up and wait their turn to pass through the new lock.

The third phase, construction of the new lock chamber, will include rehabilitating downstream approach walls and is nearing its 70% design milestone.