President Joe Biden's proposed budget for fiscal year 2022 includes millions for harbor projects in Duluth-Superior and Ashland, as well as $480 million to begin construction of a new lock chamber at Sault Ste. Marie.
Soo Locks Visitor Center opens for freighter season with new exhibits
Updated May 10, 2021;
SAULT STE. MARIE, MI – New exhibits and pandemic-related rules mark the opening of the Soo Locks Visitors Center for the 2021 navigation season.
The visitors center in Canal Park, Sault Ste. Marie, welcomed visitors for the first time this year on Sunday, May 9. Two new exhibits are on display: a Soo Locks virtual tour; and a simulator allowing visitors to complete a lockage using a reproduction of a 1943 control panel of the MacArthur Lock.
The website has also been updated to include informational handouts on current and past exhibits.
Optimism for 2021 Great Lakes navigation season seatrade-maritime.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from seatrade-maritime.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
1 SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich., The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New Lock at the Soo project is on schedule as construction resumes on phase one and is initiated on phase two this week.
Trade West Construction, Inc., and joint venture Kokosing-Alberici began moving equipment to the site the week of April 12 and 19.
Trade West continues phase one, deepening the upstream channel to the Sabin and Davis Locks, which will be replaced by the new lock. USACE officials expect phase one completion in November 2021.
Kokosing-Alberici is starting phase two this year, rehabilitating the upstream approach walls. This will stabilize the existing approach walls allowing modern vessels to tie up and wait their turn to pass through the new lock. Phase two should be complete by fall 2023, with winter seasonal breaks.
The Sault News
SAULT STE. MARIE The Poe Lock is slated to open for the navigation season again at noon on March 24, 12 hours earlier this year.
This is the first time in history the Soo Locks has had an early reopening said Kevin Sprague, Soo Area Office area engineer. According to Carrie Fox, public affairs specialist at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, this earlier opening time was requested by the shipping industry to ensure adequate supply of raw materials that are available for their customers.
The Army Corps anticipates a busy shipping season ahead. As far as shipping expectations for the year, the Army Corps are ready to accommodate shipping schedules with 24-hour operations.