SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. (WXYZ) — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that the remaining phase three construction options have been awarded for the new lock project at the Soo Locks.
According to the Detroit District, $95.3 million has been awarded to Kokosing Alberici Traylor, LLC (KAT) of Westerville, Ohio, for construction.
The remaining phase three options include downstream work, hands free mooring and downstream ship arrestors. Officials say the negotiated pricing on the remaining phase three options were set to expire in September.
According to officials, the early awarding of the remaining phase three options means the project continues to be on track for completion in 2030.
The new lock at the Soo Locks is being built in three phases. Phase one, which included upstream channel deepening, was completed in 2022, and phase two – upstream approach walls- was completed in 2024.
In July 2022, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded KAT a base contract of $1.068 billion for phase three work, allowing them to begin work in 2022, with the plan to award the remaining contracts over the next three years.
“The leadership team throughout the Corps of Engineers have made the New Lock at the Soo project a national priority and we have continued to see strong support every step along the way,” Detroit District’s Senior Civilian Kevin McDaniels said in a statement.
Construction is set to last seven years before completion in 2030, officials said. The new lock will be the same size as the 1,200-foot long Poe Lock, which is also 110 feet wide and 32 feet deep – big enough to hold the largest ships on the Great Lakes.
“With the ongoing new concrete monoliths construction, the new lock walls are beginning to take shape on the downstream end of the project site," New Lock at the Soo Senior Project Manager Mollie Mahoney said in a statement. "Demolition of the existing Sabin Lock concrete continues, and bedrock excavation in the footprint of the new lock chamber is steadily progressing. In the Davis Lock, the new pump well walls are being constructed, and the remainder of the chamber continues to be filled with excavated material.”
Over the next year, the main focus will be concrete monolith placement and demolition of the Sabin Lock.
